Why Your Utility Bill Is Going Up —
And What Liquefied Natural Gas Has to Do With It
If you’ve opened your utility bill lately and wondered why it’s creeping up — even as you try to conserve energy — you’re not alone. The culprit might be halfway across the globe. But the trail leads back to Washington, Wall Street, and your local power plant.
At the center of this story is liquefied natural gas (LNG) — and how shipping U.S. gas overseas is creating ripple effects for families and businesses back home. This is a story of false solutions, missed opportunities, and the fight over the future of clean energy in America.
Over the past decade, the U.S. has become the world’s largest exporter of LNG, sending record amounts to Europe and Asia. The goal? Help allies, support global supply chains, and — for fossil fuel companies — make huge profits by selling gas at higher global prices.
But there’s a downside. When American gas is shipped out, there’s less of it here at home, and the price goes up. Utilities, especially in gas-heavy states like Texas and California, pass those higher fuel costs directly to you.
As U.S. LNG exports have grown since 2016, domestic gas prices have spiked — especially during global crises like the war in Ukraine.
(Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration – LNG Exports, Gas Prices)
LNG isn’t just being burned for power — it’s also feeding a fast-growing plastics industry.
Cheap natural gas, especially its byproduct ethane, is a key ingredient in plastic production. Along the Gulf Coast, ten new plastics plants and 17 expansion projects are planned over the next five years, consuming enormous quantities of natural gas.
Here’s the catch: all that industrial demand drives up the price of gas overall, especially during periods of high consumption or supply shortages. And because utilities buy gas on the same market, your home electricity bill rises too.
So while plastics manufacturers rake in profits, you’re left paying more for electricity — especially in states that rely on gas-fired power.
Hydrogen is being sold as a clean alternative — but most hydrogen being produced today isn’t green. It’s blue or gray hydrogen, made by processing natural gas, not water and renewable electricity.
This type of hydrogen production requires huge amounts of gas and energy — and that demand feeds back into the same gas market that powers your home.
So even if you never see a hydrogen facility, its natural gas appetite contributes to tighter supply and higher fuel prices across the board. That means you pay more when you turn on the lights, charge your phone, or cool your home.
What’s worse, the fossil fuel industry is using hydrogen to delay real clean energy solutions. They’re betting on your rising bills to fund their next boom.
More: FalseSolutions.org on Hydrogen
Enter artificial intelligence and crypto mining. These industries are booming — and they’re power-hungry. Data centers, which run 24/7, are driving a massive surge in electricity demand.
To meet that demand, many utilities are building or ramping up natural gas power plants. Why? Because they’re quicker to install than wind or solar farms — even though they’re more polluting and more expensive in the long run.
In other words: we’re burning more gas at home while exporting it abroad. That means higher costs and more pollution, with everyday people stuck footing the bill.
You may have heard about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — a landmark climate law that offers billions for clean energy projects, from rooftop solar to electric buses.
But here’s the twist: while some lawmakers try to roll back IRA subsidies, LNG export terminals are being fast-tracked with government backing.
That’s billions in public support for fossil fuels, again — even as communities struggle to pay rising utility bills. This is a textbook false solution: one that sounds like energy security, but locks us into decades of gas dependence and climate destruction.
Meanwhile, real solutions like solar, storage, and efficiency upgrades get sidelined or delayed — even though they’re cleaner, cheaper, and job-creating.
It’s clear who wins: Fossil fuel companies and LNG investors. In 2022 alone, U.S. LNG exports were valued at over $60 billion. Companies like Cheniere and Venture Global are posting record profits.
And who pays? You do. In 2023, the average household utility bill in the U.S. rose by nearly 13% — and in gas-dependent regions, the spikes were even higher.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
We could be investing in:
These are great solutions — and they’re already working in communities across the country. But they’re being ignored while fossil fuel companies double down on LNG and gas plants.
False solutions benefit corporations, not communities. It’s time to demand an energy system that’s clean, just, and built for the future.