FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patrick Connor, Washington State Director, patrick.connor@nfib.org,
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org

OLYMPIA, Wash., Feb. 18, 2026—The nation’s largest and leading small business association today released its first energy survey of its membership, showing how energy costs impact their business operations.

“Washington small-business owners are all too familiar with excessive fuel and energy costs,” said Patrick Connor, state director for NFIB in Washington. “Our once cheap, clean, and plentiful hydropower system was the envy of the nation. Now, Olympia’s energy policies are stretching our grid to the limit and pushing prices for electricity and fuel ever higher. We’re losing our competitive and affordability edge with little progress towards questionable climate goals to show for it.”

Energy costs play a critical and growing role in the operation of small businesses. They are often one of the largest costs for owners in operating their business. Energy prices also tend to be more volatile, making it difficult for small business owners to estimate future costs. The NFIB survey collected responses from 775 small business owners across a wide range of industries and across the country.

From Holly Wade, executive director of NFIB’s Research Center

“Small businesses are highly exposed to energy cost increases, have limited flexibility to reduce costs, and experience direct operational and financial impacts as a result. As owners work to absorb the impact of energy costs into their business, it can often limit their ability to hire, retain talent, and grow.”

Highlights from Key Findings

• Across all major energy sources, about 80% of small business owners reported that energy costs significantly (very or moderately) impact the business.
• Energy costs related to heating and cooling are the most common primary energy cost, followed by operating equipment and/or processes, and in third place, vehicles.
• Two-thirds of small business owners report that energy efficiency is at least somewhat important when replacing vehicles. However, adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles remains very limited.
• Two-thirds of businesses experienced a power outage in the last year, most often due to equipment failure rather than weather events (55% vs. 15%; 28% were unsure of the cause).

Keep up with the latest Washington state small business news at www.nfib.com or on X @NFIB_WA or on Facebook @NFIB.WA

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For over 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.

NFIB Washington
111 – 21st Avenue Southwest
Olympia, WA 98501
360-786-8675
NFIB.com
Twitter: @NFIB_WA
Facebook: @NFIB.WA