Ahead of midterms, backlash grows over soaring electricity bills

With less than one week to go before the midterm elections, soaring electricity bills have become a hot topic on the campaign trail.

Over the past year, residential electricity costs have spiked approximately 5% nationwide, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

An ABC News analysis found that in the top 10 states where electric bills have increased the most, five are home to competitive races for the U.S. Senate.

In Maine, where longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is in a tight race with Democratic candidate Troy Jackson, electricity costs have surged 16% in one year.

In Ohio, where incumbent Republican Sen. John Husted and former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown are facing off, electricity costs are up 12% in the past year.

Across the country, 57% of Americans now say their utilities are unaffordable, up from 45% in February, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel.

Electricity prices have been rising for several reasons, including costly upgrades to an aging energy grid, state and local regulations and rising demand from consumers and businesses, including data centers.

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Tech companies and data center developers are pledging to cover their own costs amid the backlash. The evidence is mixed -- and community-dependent -- on whether data centers increase power bills.

At an Oct. 20 county meeting in Loudoun County, Virginia, where there are more data centers than any other region in the country, some residents spoke up to say the rise in electricity costs is unsustainable.

"The fact that someone like me, for example, my utility bill is going from an average of about $250 a month to around $850 a month, and we're hearing those same things across the country," Derrick Robinson, a Loudoun County resident, told ABC News.

The U.S. Department of Energy says there are ways for individuals to help cut down on their electricity usage amid rising costs.

The department shares tips on its website, including using power strips and turning them off when not in use; sealing gaps around doors and windows to improve insulation; turning the water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and washing clothes in warm water instead of hot water.