Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Carolyn Kaster and Margie Mason

PHOTO ESSAY: In a corner of Appalachia, soaring utility costs are surpassing rents and mortgages

Soaring Utilities Photo Essay - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Eric Pinson is obsessed with stacks of electric bills laid out in neat piles on his desk. He runs a camping trailer park in West Virginia not far from a planned data center — all in the shadow of an enormous coal-powered plant that recently received millions in funding from the Trump administration for upgrades.

The site was the last stop for many folks struggling to make it. But when electricity prices jumped last year, Pinson was forced to increase the all-inclusive rent from $350 to $400 a month. That shoved at least 16 campers out of the site, including some longtime residents.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.