WASHINGTON, D.C. — As American families face record-high electricity bills, a new report released today by the Environmental Protection Network (EPN) finds that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could still help 1 million households cut their electric bills by about 25 percent if the agency complies with two federal court rulings and promptly restarts the $7 billion Solar for All program instead of appealing.

The issue brief, Restore Solar for All, prepared by former EPA officials, comes as the agency weighs whether to appeal two separate  federal court rulings in Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. that found its August 2025 termination of the program unlawful. The government’s 60-day window to appeal the rulings closes in mid-November.

The new analysis examines how rising electricity prices, changes in federal solar tax credits, and delays caused by EPA’s termination have altered the program’s potential benefits and the urgency of restarting it.

“Families are skipping groceries to keep their lights on, yet restarting Solar for All could ultimately deliver more than $450 million a year in electricity bill savings,” said Michelle Roos, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Network. “Two federal courts have now said EPA broke the law when it terminated Solar for All grants. Instead of keeping families in the dark, EPA should take this opportunity to help a million households cut their electricity bills.”

“Groundswell stands at the ready to restart our Southeast Rural Power Solar for All program,” said Michelle Moore, CEO, Groundswell. “I’m confident we could reach thousands of families across the Rural South with deep bill savings by this time next year.” 

Key findings from the report: 

  • 1 million households could cut their electric bills by roughly 25 percent if EPA restarts the program promptly.
  • $458 million in first-year savings, or about $456 per household, which could grow if electricity rates continue to rise.
  • An appeal could put Solar for All savings out of reach for about 410,000 households. EPN’s modeling shows that if further delays prevent projects from qualifying for federal solar tax credits, the same $7 billion would reach about 40% fewer families.

EPN is calling on EPA to forgo an appeal, immediately restart Solar for All  and give grantees the flexibility they need to get their systems operating before the deadline.

Read EPN’s issue brief, Restore Solar for All: EPA Can Help a Million Families Cut Their Electric Bills by 25%.

ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION NETWORK

The Environmental Protection Network is a nonpartisan organization comprising more than 800 former EPA scientists, toxicologists, chemists, biologists, engineers, and policy analysts — many of whom spent decades as career experts inside the agency. They assessed cancer and developmental risks, studied links between pollution and fertility and chronic disease, investigated contaminated communities, and brought enforcement actions to hold corporate polluters accountable. EPN was founded in 2017 to serve as an independent voice promoting science-based policies that protect families’ health.