Record Setting LNG Exports Send Energy Costs Spiraling for Consumers
In Trump’s first full year in office, exports of Liquified Natural Gas expanded by 26%, driving up natural gas prices for consumers by more than $16 billion
WASHINGTON — Last year, for the first time, the United States exported more natural gas than is used by the nearly 74 million American households that are attached to gas utility service, according to a new report released today by Public Citizen.
More than 5.5 trillion cubic feet of liquified natural gas (LNG) was exported out of just 8 export terminals, exceeding previous exports by 26% over the record set a year earlier.
“The explosion in fossilized gas exports directly contributes to higher utility bills for American families,” said Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program. “When fossil fuel companies send their products abroad, it increases the price of energy here at home. The Trump Administration prioritizes—and celebrates—windfall profits for gas exporters, while turning its back on his explicit campaign pledge to reduce all Americans’ utility bills in half within his first year. Instead, record LNG exports increased utility bills across the nation.”
The impact of massive energy exports are driving up energy bills for consumers connected to gas utility services, driving up the costs for households by nearly 21%. In total, gas utility bills spiked by $16 billion in 2025, forcing the average family to pay nearly $181 more during Trump’s first year in office.
The uptick in gas utility costs were not uniform across the country, according to the report. In states like Virginia, fossilized gas prices increased by 30%, increasing costs for energy by nearly $275 more for the average Virginia household during the first year of Trump’s second term.
According to the National Consumer Law Center’s analysis of the latest Residential Energy Consumption Survey, one-third of American households struggle with energy affordability and access, marking a sharp increase from previous surveys.
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