Electricity prices have risen at twice the rate of inflation over the past year, according to an August report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This has sparked renewed debate amongst legislators in Washington as to the best path forward for energy reliability and affordability.

Democrats are pushing for a joint resolution (S.J. Res. 71) to terminate the energy emergency declared by President Trump on his first day back in office, a policy that has supported keeping fossil fuel plants online and delaying renewable projects. The administration argues that wind and solar are driving the higher costs, while opponents point to canceled projects like Revolution Wind in New England as a threat to grid reliability and economic growth.

This debate comes as the global race for AI dominance drives unprecedented electricity demand. Data centers already consume 4.4% of total U.S. electricity and are projected to reach 12% within three years, while AI development alone will consume electricity equivalent to 22% of all current U.S. households by 2028, effectively adding 28 million households' worth of energy demand to the grid. To put the scale in perspective, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt testified before Congress that meeting AI's energy needs will require the equivalent of 67 new nuclear power plants by 2030.

"Securing the lead on advanced Artificial Intelligence is the 21st century's Manhattan Project, and a race the U.S. must win," said NEFI President & CEO Jim Collura. "To succeed, we will need smart energy policies that recognize where electrification doesn't make sense and that ensures all forms of energy — including conventional heating fuels — remain part of the solution. America's energy future will require balance, pragmatism, and common sense," he said.