Ken Thomas of Boca Raton lost power for eight hours after a utility failure, enduring Florida’s intense summer heat without air conditioning. “You don’t realize how important power is until you don’t have it,” said the retired air traffic controller. Despite energy-saving upgrades, his bills still exceed $400 a month, highlighting the strain rising utility costs place on families, especially in hot climates.
Electricity prices are climbing more than twice as fast as inflation
