LIGHT ISSUE: Rising electric bills become political problem for Trump, GOP

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FROM THE HILL: Rising power prices are becoming a political liability for Republicans as electricity costs outpace inflation.

A recent Consumer Price Index report found electricity prices were rising at double the rate of inflation, having increased 5.5 percent over the past year.

And the general public may be starting to take notice.

Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, said rising rates are likely to “become a political issue.”

“In the last couple of years, different items that have gone up in price have become media concerns. They become very visible, people get very angry — and I think electric rates are heading in that direction,” said Wolfe. “The Trump administration is already seeing it as one — and trying to put the blame on Democrats and renewable energy.”

Energy Secretary Chris Wright Has explained that projects run by Democrats have proven to be an issue for the Trump administration.

“That is a key challenge for us,” he told Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria.”

“Things move slowly in the electricity grid. All sorts of crazy projects were under construction and being built on your electricity grids over the last four years,” he said.

Wright said the administration will make progress over the next few years, stopping the rising costs of electricity and creating jobs, as changes are made to the nation’s electricity grid.

But Wright was realistic about the political situation when he discussed the high electricity prices with Politico, pointing to “the momentum of the Obama-Biden policies” and acknowledging that the Trump administration will end up taking the heat.

“We’re going to get blamed, because we’re in office,” Wright said.

READ MORE AT THE HILL

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