Kristy Hallowell had just lost her job when her energy bill unexpectedly tripled to $1,800 a month. Unable to pay, her gas and electricity were cut off, and she, her two children, and her mother spent six months of last year relying on a generator to light and heat their house. The 44-year-old is one of millions of Americans who have fallen behind on their energy bills as prices have soared over the past year. The electricity is now back on at her home in Greenwood Lake, New York, after a local non-profit helped reach an agreement with the utility to accept a partial payment. But the gas is still off, and electricity bills keep mounting this winter, leaving her in fear of another shut-off. She said she now had about $3,000 in utility debt. This has been traumatic, to say the least, she said. Almost 5% of households are now at risk of having their utility debt sent to collections heading into the winter months, with the number of households with severely overdue utility debt increasing by 3.8% in the first half of Trump's second term. Official data shows electricity prices rose 6.9% on average from the previous year, a concern for many consumers struggling with the current cost of living. Experts warn of further rises in winter heating costs as federal proposals threaten to reduce financial assistance for low-income residents. Rising energy demand from tech companies and a lack of investment in clean energy are compounding the issue, leading to a significant financial burden for American families.