About this episode
When Kurt Borchardt opened his latest electricity bill, he thought there was a mistake.当库尔特·博查特（音译）收到最新一期电费账单时，他简直不敢相信自己的眼睛。"Our electric bill doubled in one month. Almost a $3,000-$4,000 jump on a single bill," wrote Borchardt, co-owner of Artisanal Brew Works in Saratoga Springs, New York, describing the shock on social media."我们一个月的电费翻了一番。单张账单就涨了近三四千美元，"纽约萨拉托加斯普林斯市Artisanal Brew Works啤酒厂合伙人博查特（音译）在社交媒体上描述了当时的震惊。The brewery had already endured a slow winter season, traditionally its weakest period. Then came what he said was a 133-percent increase in electricity prices. The company's National Grid bill has now become its second-largest expense after rent, squeezing margins at a time when customer traffic remains slow.该啤酒厂刚熬过传统上最惨淡的冬季淡季。紧接着就遭遇了133%的电价涨幅。如今，国家电网公司的账单已成为该厂仅次于房租的第二大开支，在客流量持续低迷之际进一步挤压利润空间。"When I saw that bill, I fell out of my chair," Borchardt told local television station WTEN. His frustration reflects a broader national trend."看到账单时，我惊得从椅子上站了起来，"博查特对当地电视台WTEN表示。他的无奈折射出美国正面临的全国性趋势。Electricity prices in the United States are emerging as a new source of economic strain, raising concerns about inflation, industrial competitiveness and political risk, particularly after a colder-than-average winter drove up heating demand and tightened natural gas markets.
