Ben and I have been discussing energy costs in the comments and I wanted to add something longer here. The energy costs have gone up and will continue to go up. We have the technology to create cheaper energy but we just won't do it right now.
I have no doubt that we will eventually create the cheaper energy. It's just a matter of time. When will it happen?
If it doesn't happen through lobbying, then it will happen when the riots break out one winter. When people can no longer afford to pay for heat in their homes, they are going to be pissed. When the government starts threatening the lives of the people, it won't take long for the people to rise up and revolt. Military suppression will only go so far when grandma is dead because she couldn't pay for heat on her fixed income.
The government will take as much control as they can and banks will take as much money as they can, right up to the breaking point. They keep trying to move the line a little bit to see just how much control and money they can take and every once in a while, they cross the line. When that happens, violence erupts and they have to take a step back and come up with a new plan.
Power companies will continue to raise their rates each year, citing a myriad of reasons, until the people finally decide that it's enough. When will that happen? I don't know but I do know that it will be a cold day and that people will set fires to get warm. They probably won't be too concerned with what they're burning either. If I was a power company, I'd be using some of my profits to put in a dang good sprinkler system.