Guides

Short, verdict-first explainers. Each one says what changed and what to do.

• Fixed charges are the new rate increase
  Utilities are shifting revenue from per-kWh rates into fixed monthly charges. Who wins, who loses, and how to tell which side you are on. · Updated October 2026
• Heat pump rebates after the federal credit ended
  The 25C tax credit expired December 31, 2025. State IRA programs and utility rebates are now the whole game. Here is what still exists, who qualifies, and how they stack. · Updated October 2026
• How to read a utility rate case
  Requested vs approved, revenue requirement, test year, riders, return on equity: the vocabulary you need to understand what your utility is asking for and what the commission actually decided. · Updated October 2026
• Why electric bills are rising in 2026 (and what you can do about it)
  Utilities asked regulators for a record $31 billion in rate increases in 2025 and another $18.6 billion in the first half of 2026. Here is where the money goes and which parts of your bill you can actually change. · Updated October 2026