According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for energy were 646.81% higher in 2018 versus 1973 (a $164,289,399,943.39 difference in value).
Between 1973 and 2018: Energy experienced an average inflation rate of 4.57% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, energy costing $25,400,000,000 in the year 1973 would cost $189,689,399,943.39 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.93% during this same period, inflation for energy was higher.
In the year 1973: Pricing changed by 8.04%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for energy during the 1973-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1973 (6.18%), inflation for energy was higher.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Energy:
| Year | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| CPI | 21.475 | 21.517 | 21.875 | 22.442 | 22.492 | 22.583 | 22.633 | 22.533 | 22.950 | 23.308 | 23.833 | 24.192 | 24.842 | 25.500 | 26.517 | 27.250 | 29.442 | 38.042 | 42.075 | 45.125 | 49.400 | 52.542 | 65.775 | 86.058 | 97.700 | 99.158 | 99.867 | 100.858 | 101.550 | 88.242 | 88.558 | 89.217 | 94.308 | 102.033 | 102.475 | 103.008 | 104.208 | 104.650 | 105.233 | 110.133 | 111.533 | 102.875 | 106.625 | 124.583 | 129.158 | 121.683 | 136.692 | 151.458 | 177.100 | 196.633 | 207.765 | 236.190 | 193.410 | 211.682 | 243.744 | 245.999 | 244.328 | 243.307 | 202.616 | 189.478 | 204.649 | 219.873 | 214.701 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Energy, over time, for $25400000000 beginning in 1973. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | $25,400,000,000.00 | 8.04% |
| 1974 | $32,819,416,926.13 | 29.21% |
| 1975 | $36,299,065,949.62 | 10.60% |
| 1976 | $38,930,370,789.70 | 7.25% |
| 1977 | $42,618,511,180.30 | 9.47% |
| 1978 | $45,328,898,952.73 | 6.36% |
| 1979 | $56,745,598,641.38 | 25.19% |
| 1980 | $74,244,494,763.66 | 30.84% |
| 1981 | $84,288,027,172.37 | 13.53% |
| 1982 | $85,546,164,732.52 | 1.49% |
| 1983 | $86,157,260,118.88 | 0.71% |
| 1984 | $87,012,793,659.78 | 0.99% |
| 1985 | $87,609,510,331.16 | 0.69% |
| 1986 | $76,128,106,425.13 | -13.11% |
| 1987 | $76,401,302,009.62 | 0.36% |
| 1988 | $76,969,261,251.06 | 0.74% |
| 1989 | $81,361,958,675.35 | 5.71% |
| 1990 | $88,026,493,065.38 | 8.19% |
| 1991 | $88,407,529,012.17 | 0.43% |
| 1992 | $88,867,647,891.31 | 0.52% |
| 1993 | $89,902,915,369.37 | 1.16% |
| 1994 | $90,283,951,316.16 | 0.42% |
| 1995 | $90,787,206,340.22 | 0.56% |
| 1996 | $95,014,548,542.32 | 4.66% |
| 1997 | $96,222,360,600.06 | 1.27% |
| 1998 | $88,752,618,171.53 | -7.76% |
| 1999 | $91,987,829,040.48 | 3.65% |
| 2000 | $107,480,894,424.00 | 16.84% |
| 2001 | $111,427,851,684.12 | 3.67% |
| 2002 | $104,978,998,018.68 | -5.79% |
| 2003 | $117,927,030,851.97 | 12.33% |
| 2004 | $130,666,572,318.14 | 10.80% |
| 2005 | $152,788,225,304.27 | 16.93% |
| 2006 | $169,640,079,252.76 | 11.03% |
| 2007 | $179,243,622,983.30 | 5.66% |
| 2008 | $203,766,593,263.52 | 13.68% |
| 2009 | $166,858,948,202.66 | -18.11% |
| 2010 | $182,623,052,363.43 | 9.45% |
| 2011 | $210,283,314,463.63 | 15.15% |
| 2012 | $212,228,538,918.77 | 0.93% |
| 2013 | $210,787,432,210.59 | -0.68% |
| 2014 | $209,906,448,344.18 | -0.42% |
| 2015 | $174,801,175,205.21 | -16.72% |
| 2016 | $163,467,440,701.95 | -6.48% |
| 2017 | $176,555,378,431.93 | 8.01% |
| 2018 | $189,689,399,943.39 | 7.44% |
| 2019 | $185,227,469,006.51 | -2.35%* |