Soaring Power Bills in Largest US Grid Pose Risk for Republicans

Surging utility bills in key battleground states are threatening to become a political liability for Republicans heading into upcoming elections.

Nowhere is that more apparent than on the largest US grid, stretching from Virginia to Illinois, where the cost of securing wholesale power supplies has been at a record for two straight years. The region includes two states electing governors this November, as well as four that are facing competitive House and Senate races next year. And nearly all of the electricity there comes from natural gas, nuclear reactors and coal.

That means President Donald Trump’s strategy of blaming renewable ...