Congressman proposes House bill to lower rising energy costs

As energy costs continue to climb across San Diego County and the nation, Rep. Mike Levin (D, 49th District) introduced new legislation aimed at easing the burden on families and small businesses.

Speaking Monday at the Solana Center, in Encinitas, Levin discussed the Energy Bills Relief Act, a proposal designed to lower utility bills, expand access to clean energy and ensure large energy users cover their own costs. He said the cost of living is too high.

“It’s pretty bad,” Levin said. “Everything is up, so we have to do all we can to try to address it.”

Levin said the legislation would provide financial assistance to families struggling to pay their energy bills and crack down on price gouging by energy companies. It would also require high-energy users, such as digital data centers, to pay their share instead of passing costs onto ratepayers.

“They need to bear the expense rather than the average rate payer or the average small business owner,” Levin said.

The bill also aims to incentivize clean energy by reinstating tax credits for solar and other energy-efficient improvements that were previously eliminated.

“When you kneecap all of the affordable clean-energy projects, that’s going to drive prices up,” Levin said.

Electricity prices have risen faster than inflation over the past year and are expected to continue increasing, according to Levin. The proposal focuses on expanding renewable energy, modernizing the electric grid and prioritizing affordability for consumers.

Jessica Toth, executive director of the Solana Center, said the legislation could help bring attention to the issue while encouraging investment in sustainable energy.

“Oh, I think it’s absolutely the right thing to do,” Toth said. “Whether it passes or not, it’s bringing awareness to the issue.”

Toth said efforts like the Energy Bills Relief Act could help accelerate the transition to cleaner, more affordable energy.

“The legislation is really the kick in the seat of the pants to spur investment,” Toth said.

Levin acknowledged that passing the bill will require support in Congress but said reducing regulatory barriers could help move projects forward.

“We’re going to take away some of those bureaucratic hurdles that stand in the way,” Levin said.

The Energy Bills Relief Act was introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday. NBC 7 reached out to local Republicans, including Rep. Darrell Issa and Supervisor Jim Desmond, who is running for the departing Issa’s seat, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.