MONTPELIER, VT — As Vermont endures one of the coldest winters in recent memory, residents are grappling with another harsh reality: monthly electricity bills that rank among the highest in the country.
Vermonters experience electricity costs that are twenty percent (20%) higher compared to five years ago, with seventy-nine percent (79%) recognizing they are paying more for energy than they were five years ago, according to new polling from Independent Women’s New England Energy Survey.
The findings reveal deep frustration among Vermont women over rising energy costs, concerns about grid reliability, and growing skepticism about the tradeoffs embedded in the region’s aggressive green-energy agenda.
Nearly half (45%) of Vermont women believe politicians have misled voters about the effectiveness and costs of green mandates.
Vermont was an early adopter of green energy policies:
- In 2005, it joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to regulate carbon emissions, despite the cap-and-trade program not delivering on this goal.
- In 2015, the state approved a renewable portfolio standard (RPS). In 2024, VT accelerated its RPS to be 100% renewable energy by 2030.
- In 2020, the state passed the Global Warming Solutions Act to mandate aggressive and legally-binding carbon emissions reductions by 2025, 2030, and 2050
- In 2022, Vermont signed onto California’s electric vehicle mandate to force all new cars sold in the state to be electric by 2035. Governor Scott paused the EV mandate in 2025.
- The Climate Superfund Act of 2024 allows individuals and groups to sue oil and gas companies, despite these companies not operating in the state.
KEY FINDINGS
The New England Women’s Energy Survey was conducted by Wick Insights among a sample of 3,000 women who are likely 2026 general election voters across the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont—the region with the highest electricity rates in the nation.
- 89% are concerned about rising energy costs
- 79% say they are paying more for energy than they were five years ago
- 45% believe Vermont politicians have misled voters about the effectiveness and costs of the green-energy transition
“Vermont should prioritize energy affordability, but aggressive green energy mandates continue to hold the state back. Lawmakers in Montpelier have misled women in the state about the cost and affordability of climate policies. They must be honest and transparent about the high cost of transitioning to 100% renewables. Discouraging natural gas and nuclear energy – two reliable, abundant sources – have made Vermont reliant on electricity imports from Canada. Let’s hope Governor Scott can convince lawmakers to ditch net-zero and embrace energy abundance policies,” said Gabriella Hoffman, director of Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation.
Thirteen percent (13.5%) of female Vermont voters blamed rising energy costs on utility companies, and twenty-six percent (26.9%) attributed them to federal policies, demonstrating a significant knowledge gap about the state policies behind rising costs.
Additionally, fifty-seven percent (57.8%) of female voters in Vermont did not know about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a policy adopted by the state government, limiting energy diversity and a more affordable energy grid, increasing electricity prices, and reducing flexibility during periods of high demand.
“Harsh winters and soaring energy costs are putting real pressure on Vermont households. Residents shouldn’t be paying more to keep the lights on when there are many practical reforms Vermont legislators can make to drive down costs today,” said Jordanne Kemper, vice president of Independent Women’s Voice. “Lawmakers must focus on making power affordable for everyone by removing regulatory barriers preventing a diverse, affordable, and reliable clean energy grid.”
More detailed poll results can be found here.
The New England region is frequently an early adopter of policy changes that can inform or influence legislation elsewhere in the country over time. The results of this poll offer a cautionary signal for states considering New England’s energy standards.
View poll results here.
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