As the October-through-March winter heating season unfolds, a number of forecasts indicate that the cost of electricity will double, if not triple, the projected 2 percent to 3 percent overall 2026 inflation rate and, regardless of fuel source, make it more expensive to stay warm this winter.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in its Oct. 15 Winter Fuels Outlook 2025–2026, projected that a nationwide average 5 percent increase in electricity costs in 2026 will raise winter heating costs by 4 percent—and even more for the 42 percent of U.S. households that use electricity for heating.
