5 Ways AARP Is Fighting to Keep Heat and Electricity Bills Affordable

We’re battling rate increases to keep costs within reach for older adults

Molly Snow,

Updated January 21, 2026

AARP

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Published January 15, 2026

/ Updated January 21, 2026

Rob Dobi

Older adults are contending with higher prices on almost everything, and utilities are no exception.

Nearly two-thirds of older Americans say their electric bill has gone up recently, and 83 percent fear it will climb even higher, according to a 2025 survey by AARP Research.

“For adults 50 and older, affordable and reliable utilities aren’t a luxury — they’re essential to health, safety and the ability to remain in their homes as they age,” says Jenn Jones, AARP’s vice president of financial security and livable communities.

Yet rising energy costs often force older adults to make difficult trade-offs, like skipping other bills or enduring dangerous temperatures to avoid cranking the thermostat. That’s why AARP advocates for affordable utility services, to protect older adults’ quality of life nationwide.

“As energy demand grows, and new pressures like large-scale data centers strain local systems, it’s more important than ever that policymakers put consumers first and protect them, especially those living on fixed or limited incomes,” Jones says.

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Last year, AARP fought rate increases across the country, and it is continuing that work in 2026. Here’s how we’re working to keep utility bills down.

1. Demanding data centers pay their own way

Data centers consume massive amounts of energy to power computer systems, and they are moving into many communities. Advocates are concerned that consumers will end up picking up the tab for their upkeep and the pressure they put on local electric grids.

Most older Americans oppose covering data center utility costs, AARP surveys show.

“We want data centers paying their fair share for the new power and all the upgrades that they need,” says Sean Voskuhl, state director of AARP Oklahoma. “They shouldn’t be saddling residential customers with yet another large rate increase, who are not to blame for it.”

AARP Oklahoma has urged Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) to adopt a separate “rate class” for data centers, to protect residents from cost spillovers. According to local reporting from The Frontier, at least 18 data center projects in Oklahoma are either under construction or awaiting approval.

Thanks in part to AARP’s advocacy efforts, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities, has ordered OG&E to develop a separate tariff for large-load users this year.

Elsewhere, AARP Florida, alongside other state offices, is urging utility companies to establish distinct rate classes for new large-energy users up front, to prevent their costs from shifting to consumers, says Zayne Smith, AARP Florida’s senior director of advocacy.

2. Supporting bill-pay assistance during hard times

Home heating costs are expected to climb 9.2 percent this winter, in part due to higher electricity and gas prices and extreme weather driving demand.

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“We don’t want our members to be in a position where they have to choose between paying their electricity bill or paying for their prescriptions,” says David Azevedo, associate state director of advocacy and community engagement at AARP California. “That’s a public health crisis.”

Last year, the 43-day government shutdown delayed payment for the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps 6 million low-income households afford utilities each year. Nearly half of those households include an older adult.

AARP offices jumped into action, lobbying state leaders to green-light emergency funds and place a moratorium on service shutoffs due to missed payments during the funding lapse. Though funding was released to LIHEAP in late November, advocates are still pushing states to put contingency measures in place in case of a future funding lapse.

“[We] believe that New York state should be prepared if, in fact, there will be a shortfall in the future with the next federal budget,” says Bill Ferris, AARP New York’s legislative representative.

For more information about getting assistance with utility bills, contact your state or tribal LIHEAP office.

3. Combating rate hikes on the ground

When utility companies propose a rate hike, AARP works with expert witnesses to present alternative plans that are fairer and more affordable for consumers.

Resources to lower your utility costs:

To find out if you qualify for energy bill pay assistance, use the LIHEAP Eligibility Tool or call the National Energy Assistance Referral hotline at 866-674-6327.
The U.S. Energy Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program may be able help make your home more energy efficient at no cost.
AARP maintains a list of resources to help prevent utility scams. If you suspect fraud, learn more here.

Advocates have also shown up in force at public comment hearings and led petitions against unfavorable rate changes.

AARP Illinois helped fight off a major gas rate hike in the state last year, which resulted in cutting a proposed $314 million increase by nearly 50 percent.

“This win was a direct result of the power of 35,000 AARP Illinois members who signed our petition and made their concerns heard,” AARP Illinois State Director Philippe Largent said in a statement.

AARP state offices have also kept discussions going with local and state leaders on the importance of keeping heating and cooling bills affordable.

“Having conversations with your local elected officials, while they aren’t the decision makers, can certainly have an impact,” AARP Florida’s Smith says.

And in New Hampshire, Oklahoma and North Dakota, AARP’s efforts have staved off increases to monthly customer charges that would have made controlling your bill more difficult.

4. Promoting consumers’ voices

Consumers deserve a say in decisions that affect their bills. But utilities can be complex and highly technical, says Azevedo — which is why AARP leans on experts to challenge unfair practices and push for policies that protect consumers.

It’s also why states are working to make utility operations more transparent, so individuals can better understand the process and speak up when rates are on the line.

In October, AARP California successfully advocated for a law that stops investor-owned utilities from spending consumer money on advertising and political lobbying that primarily benefits shareholders. It’s a practice consumers may not know exists, but it raised red flags for Azevedo and his team when they saw a Super Bowl commercial for a utility company while they were battling another significant rate increase.

“That’s what led us down this journey with other consumer advocates here in California, to realize that this is something utilities get away with all the time,” he says. AARP New York also fought to introduce two bills last year: One would create a state-funded utility consumer advocate; the other would create a way for organizations that represent consumers in rate cases to seek reimbursement for getting expert counsel.

It’s simply about fairness, AARP New York’s Ferris says, since utilities can often out-muscle smaller organizations in state energy rate proceedings.

In New Hampshire, South Carolina and Georgia, AARP has also fought to protect the role of consumer advocate offices.

5. Grants support energy-efficient homes

Simple home improvements, like adding weather stripping around doors and windows, can help keep heating costs low for the 77 percent of older adults who want to age in place.

But upgrades can be challenging for those with mobility issues or tight budgets, so AARP supports local efforts to improve livability for those most at risk.

In 2021, AARP awarded a Community Challenge Grant to Fort Collins, Colorado, with funding to host a resource fair for two mobile-home communities. The event connected residents with weatherization tools and handyman help to support lower utility bills, prevent code violations and address livability issues.

“Doing some of the internal upgrades, getting new exterior doors, even weather stripping along the base of doors and along the sides, has been an astronomical savings for some folks,” says JC Ward, who works in neighborhood services for the City of Fort Collins.

AARP’s HomeFit Guide has sparked conversations about fall hazards and other home dangers beyond weatherization.

“If you feel safe in your home, you feel comfortable, and you feel a sense of pride and ownership,” says Ward.

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Molly Snow is a writer for AARP covering advocacy issues and state news. She also writes AARP's Today's Tips podcast. She previously worked at other news outlets, including Federal Times, McClatchy and Gannett.