U.S. Household Electricity Shut-offs Surge 28 Percent in July

Electricity disconnections for U.S. households surged 28 percent in July 2026 compared to the previous year, with 173,598 households shut off across 10 states during the hottest month ever recorded in the United States. Data from the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association indicates that approximately one in six households are now behind on their energy bills.

Rising costs are attributed to AI datacenter power demands, necessary grid upgrades, and global energy disruptions following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. While 23 states and Washington DC prohibit shut-offs during extreme heat, 27 states allow them regardless of weather conditions. Local leaders in Phoenix, New York, and Boston report increasing struggles to protect vulnerable residents from financial instability and heat-related health risks.

Donald Trump and his administration have faced criticism for attempting to eliminate the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and prioritizing coal over renewable energy. White House officials defend these policies as necessary to resolve a grid crisis they attribute to the previous administration. Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix argued that removing low-income energy aid is a step in the wrong direction, while Mark Wolfe of the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association warned that current protections are not working.