Hot summer may bring 8% rise in utility costs for many people across the US

US families could be having to sacrifice other aspects of their lives in order to just maintain power', researcher says

Many people in the US can expect to see an 8% rise in their utility costs this summer, according to a new report. Soaring electricity bills put low-income households at risk from extreme heat, the report noted.

Last year was the Earth's hottest one on record. In the US alone, about 11,000 people are estimated to have died of heat exposure.