Americans are increasingly concerned about rising energy costs and power grid reliability according to a new survey of 2,000 US consumers conducted by Neara, an AI-powered infrastructure modeling platform.
Key survey findings: The data reveals widespread dissatisfaction with current energy costs and growing skepticism about future grid performance.
- 59% of Americans believe they are paying excessive energy bills
- 47% anticipate further increases in their energy costs
- 48% have noticed more frequent power outages in their area over the past five years
- 43% lack confidence in the grid’s ability to handle extreme weather events
- 70% of consumers expect power restoration within 5 hours after severe storms
- 65% are satisfied with utility company communications during outages
Infrastructure challenges: The US power grid is struggling to meet unprecedented demand while maintaining reliability and affordability.
- The Department of Energy has allocated $7.6 billion for grid resilience projects
- Current infrastructure improvements are not keeping pace with growing power demands
- Weather events and increasing load requirements are creating new strains on the system
- Grid reliability issues are directly contributing to rising consumer costs
Consumer expectations: Survey data indicates a disconnect between public expectations for power restoration and current grid capabilities.
- More than one-third of Americans expect power restoration within 1-2 hours after severe storms
- Another third anticipate restoration within 3-5 hours
- These expectations may be unrealistic given current infrastructure limitations
Expert perspective: Neara’s Managing Director of the Americas, Robert Brook, emphasizes the critical nature of energy infrastructure improvements.
- Energy reliability impacts both public safety and economic growth
- Current infrastructure faces unprecedented pressure
- Severe weather events combined with increasing demand create ongoing challenges
- Intelligent, cost-effective solutions are needed to enhance grid resilience
Looking ahead: The survey results suggest a growing tension between consumer expectations and grid capabilities that may lead to increased public pressure for infrastructure modernization and could impact utility companies’ social license to operate.
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