Electric Prices going Up

Electricity has always been a cheap form of energy. But...

New York - Rising energy prices are now squeezing consumers from a different direction: their utility bills

Consumers from California to New York are facing rate increases of as much as 30 percent. Average homeowners' electric bills are now heading towards $70 to $80 a month in some states. And low- and middle-income residents are having trouble paying their bills as evidenced by a large increase in disconnect notices.

"Electricity's been cheap for a long time, it's just catching up," says Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association in Washington.

On a national basis, the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that electric bills will rise 5.2 percent this year. But next year, they're expected to rise 9.8 percent.

With gas and coal getting more and more expensive, solar and wind are looking better and better. When are we going to start harnessing the geothermal energy in the Pacific Northwest?