America must build its way to affordable and reliable energy

As winter approaches, millions of American households are preparing for another season of rising energy costs. For many families, heating their homes could become an increasingly expensive burden. New England illustrates the problem particularly well. During the last winter, the region’s wholesale electricity costs reached $6.53 billion, a 45 percent increase from the previous winter. Meanwhile, households relying on electric heating are expected to spend approximately $1,196 between November and March, up 4 percent.

These rising costs expose a fundamental weakness in America’s energy infrastructure. Cold weather increases demand for natural gas, while limited pipeline capacity restricts the amount of fuel that can reach consumers when they need it most. The situation is particularly frustrating because the United States is the world’s largest natural gas producer. The problem is not simply a lack of resources; it is the inability to move those resources efficiently from production centers to regions experiencing the greatest demand.

This infrastructure gap highlights a broader challenge facing American energy policy: the country must become better at building. Producing abundant energy resources means little if regulatory uncertainty, prolonged permitting procedures, and endless litigation prevent essential infrastructure from being completed. Congress has an opportunity to address these obstacles, improve energy affordability, and strengthen the country’s long-term economic competitiveness.