“Complete scam”: Woman ditches AC and unplugs everything to cut $300 electric bill – but “Big Beautiful Bill” makes it jump to $360 instead

A TikToker’s attempt to reduce her electricity costs by turning off her air conditioning and unplugging everything backfired when her bill actually increased. Jules shared her frustrating experience on TikTok, where it quickly went viral with over 6 million views and thousands of comments from people facing similar struggles with rising energy costs.

Jules (@julesandthevibe) explained how she had tried everything to reduce her $300 monthly electric bill. She bought blackout curtains, used fans instead of air conditioning, and turned off all extension cords and electrical devices. Despite these efforts, her next month’s bill came back even higher at $360.

Jules called the situation a “complete scam” after discovering that her conservation efforts had no impact on her costs. When she contacted her electric company, they told her that while her bill was high, it was average compared to their other customers. The company’s only suggestion was to not run the air conditioning, which she found particularly frustrating as a pregnant woman living on the third floor where temperatures can reach 80 degrees.

AI data centers driving electric bills higher nationwide

The surge in electricity costs that Jules experienced is happening across the country. According to CBS News, electricity prices have risen an average of 5.5% compared to last year, with natural gas prices jumping 13.8%. Nearly 60 utilities plan to raise rates by over $38 billion this year, affecting 57 million Americans.

Experts point to several factors behind the increases, with AI data centers being a major driver. These massive facilities require enormous amounts of power to train and run artificial intelligence models. Data centers are projected to account for 44% of U.S. electricity load growth from 2023 to 2028, according to Bain & Company analysis.

The impact on consumers is significant. In capacity auctions run by PJM, which operates the electric grid for 67 million people in 13 eastern states, data centers accounted for roughly three-quarters of recent price increases. This translates to an additional $9.3 billion in costs that will start appearing on consumer bills.

As one energy researcher explained, AI training centers can draw hundreds or thousands of megawatts at a single site. The rapid expansion means the nation will need 15% more capacity by the end of the decade just to keep pace with demand. When supply becomes scarce, prices inevitably rise.

The “Big Beautiful Bill” that President Trump signed in July 2025 is making the situation worse by eliminating clean energy tax credits. This legislation repeals incentives for wind, solar, and battery storage projects that made up over 90% of new electricity connections last year. Energy Innovation analysis shows the bill could increase household energy costs by $170 annually by 2035, with some states seeing increases as high as $540 per year.