As Energy Prices Spike, Senator Markey Unveils ‘Ratepayer Roadmap’ to Cut Costs for American Families

Roadmap (PDF)

Washington (April 1, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today released a discussion draft of his "Ratepayer Roadmap," a three-part plan to deliver lower energy bills for families in Massachusetts and across America.

Since January 2025, home electricity prices have risen by as much as 13 percent, three times higher than general inflation, and home natural gas prices have risen by as much as 98 percent. To date, at least 237 electric and natural gas utilities have either proposed or already raised electric bills by more than $92 billion for 112 million electric utility customers and more than 52 million natural gas utility customers.

As energy prices spike from Trump's illegal war in Iran, and Big Oil and Big Tech continue to wield their influence in the Trump administration, American families shouldn't be footing the bill. Senator Markey's Ratepayer Roadmap lays out concrete steps toward energy affordability: directly lowering families' monthly bills; building more clean, affordable, ready-to-go power; and preventing price-spiking and profiteering behavior in our energy system.

"Americans' energy bills are skyrocketing, at the gas pump and in monthly utility bills, but these increasing costs are a choice being made by the Trump administration and by Republicans in Congress," said Senator Markey. "We don't have to accept the endless rise in prices-we have the solutions, and we can fight back."

Senator Markey's Ratepayer Roadmap provides a path forward to increase the amount of power on the grid, insulate households against rising costs, and address bad practices that allow costs to balloon throughout the energy system:

1. Directly cut expenses for American families - especially for those who need it most.
2. 1. Help families directly with their energy bills for relief now
   2. Bring down energy bills with efficiency, electrification, and weatherization
   3. Lower costs for commuters through transit options, fuel efficiency, and vehicle choice
   4. Support state and federal energy regulators in protecting ratepayers from unfair rate hikes
3. Build more clean, affordable, and ready-to-go energy
4. 1. Defend clean energy projects from partisan Trumped-up attacks, particularly offshore wind
   2. Keep fighting for programs illegally canceled by the Trump administration that would have lowered rates and built a stronger, cleaner, and more resilient grid
   3. Reinstate clean energy tax credits
   4. Improve transmission planning
5. Stop price-spiking and profiteering.
6. 1. End the war in Iran
   2. Make Big Tech pay its fair share
   3. Stop the abuse of fake energy emergencies that put ratepayers on the hook for fossil fuel company bailouts
   4. Stop fossil fuel exports that cause price spikes at home
   5. Prevent private equity from manipulating utility costs
   6. Support public power
   7. Reform grid governance to get better planning for a cheaper, cleaner, stronger grid
   8. Target unfair utility billing practices

Demand on the grid is rising, but Trump and Republicans are blocking new affordable clean energy projects from getting built. According to one analysis, 86,000 megawatts of solar projects, 79,000 megawatts of battery projects, and 54,000 megawatts of wind projects were canceled in 2025 alone. This creates a supply crunch that raises costs, while also killing good-paying union jobs in the clean energy workforce. By February 2026, nearly 173,000 clean energy jobs had been wiped out or delayed since Trump took office.

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