One of the sixths of the United States is unable to pay energy bills on time

Xinhua News Agency, Washington, August 24th (Reporter Yan Liang) A recent statistical statistical by the National Energy Aid Council of the United States shows that due to factors such as inflation and rising energy prices, about one -sixth of families in the United States cannot pay Energy bills such as electricity and gas costs.

The National Energy Aid Council of the United States said that about 20 million families in the United States cannot pay household energy expenses on time. This is the most serious crisis recorded by the organization.

According to statistics, the current cost of US families in arrears is about $ 16 billion, which is doubled from two years ago. California Energy Corporation Pacific Gas and Power Corporation said that the number of over -paid people who did not pay for their residential users increased by 40%over February 2020. A energy company in New Jersey found that the number of users who have not paid electricity and gas costs for 3 months have increased by 30%since March this year.

Statistics show that due to the rise in energy prices, the energy use fees for low -income families from US -income families rose from US $ 2511 in 2019 to $ 3,399 in 2021, and it is expected to rise to $ 3957 in 2022. Taking electricity prices as an example, the average electricity price in the United States rose 15%a year ago this year, the largest year -on -year increase since 2006.

According to reports, severe inflation in the United States has caused low -income households to be stretched when paying food, mortgage, hydropower gas and other costs. The soaring electricity costs caused a large number of American families to use air conditioners when they encountered high temperature weather this summer. In order to restore power supply due to arrears, they were forced to reduce the expenses of food, medicines and other necessities.

[Editor in charge: Liu Yang]

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