American Energy Dominance Is Lowering Costs and Powering the Future

The number on the gas station sign says it all: $2.97 per gallon. For the first time in four years, that price will be a reality for the average American in 2026, according to GasBuddy’s report released Tuesday. This is the expected result of a clear shift in how our leaders approach energy: a return to American energy abundance.

The true test of energy policy

Energy policy must be judged by one standard: does it help people live better, more prosperous lives? For too long, our leaders failed us on that front. Policies of restriction from previous administrations drove up costs, weakened our electric grid, and punished working families. President Donald Trump and the 119^th Congress have reversed that course, starting on Day One with executive actions and landmark legislation like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) to unleash our nation’s vast energy resources.

We were told that mandating solar and wind power would lead to cheaper electricity. But America’s experience over the last four years shows how wrong that was. And a recent study by the nonpartisan Institute for Energy Research found that states with the most aggressive mandates for so-called “renewable energy” sources suffer from the highest electricity rates.

In places like California and New York, families pay as much as double the national average for power and rates rise up to three times faster than the rest of the country. The reason is simple: when politicians force an electric grid to depend on sources that only work when the sun shines or the wind blows, operators must build and maintain a second, redundant system of reliable power plants. Consumers pay for both, and their electricity prices soar.

An energy dominance agenda

Blue-state politicians are welcome to ride these policies into the ground, but President Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s energy dominance agenda is building a “best of the above” approach that allows the most affordable, reliable power to win business.

This commitment to affordability extends beyond the electric meter. The administration has ended and is actively unwinding costly, job-killing federal mandates that were designed to force Americans into expensive electric vehicles they didn’t want and couldn’t afford, especially under the previous administration’s historic inflation rates.

These top-down rules would have dramatically increased the price of all cars and trucks while putting our automotive industry at a global disadvantage. By scrapping them through executive orders and in the One Big Beautiful Bill, President Trump has protected consumer choice by ensuring that families can buy the vehicles that best suit their needs and budgets.

Looking ahead, our nation’s energy needs are set to grow enormously. The energy demands of artificial intelligence, the reshoring of supply chains and manufacturing, and further electrification of consumer goods require a grid that is stronger and more reliable than ever before.

Lower prices don’t just happen

This is why the administration’s focus on unleashing U.S. resources such as oil, natural gas, and critical minerals is so important. It lowers prices at the pump, reduces the cost of manufacturing goods, and makes American businesses more competitive. It’s also why the administration’s focus on fostering a nuclear renaissance is so critical. Nuclear energy is the backbone of a reliable grid, providing immense amounts of dependable power around the clock. By supporting our existing nuclear fleet and paving the way for new, advanced reactors, we are ensuring that America has the power it needs to lead the world for the next century.

Gas prices are down, and it’s not because President Trump flipped a switch in the White House. It’s an expected, and now delivered, result of a purposeful agenda that puts abundance over forced scarcity and that values reliability over virtue signaling. It’s proof that when we trust in American ingenuity and unlock our own resources, we build a more prosperous future for everyone.

This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.