Summer is here, temperatures are rising — and so are electric bills. That also means many people are facing a severely overlooked issue: power shutoffs. According to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2024 utility companies disconnected U.S. households from electricity more than 13.4 million times due to a customer’s inability to pay. When that happens, people can’t turn on their lights, keep food refrigerated, or cool down the home. And regulations preventing shutoffs during extreme heat events are woefully inadequate.
But when utilities help pay the upfront costs of efficiency upgrades, the customers and utilities can both save energy — and money. How do we protect the most vulnerable people from the dangers of home power shutoffs?
Guests:
Jean Su, Energy Justice Director, Center for Biological Diversity
Sanya Carley, Co-Director, Energy Justice Lab, University of Pennsylvania
Tamara Jones, Co-Executive Director, Clean Energy Works
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
4:15 Jean Su on topline takeaways from nationwide data
10:04 Jean Su on why utilities don’t cover the cost of non-payment
12:55 Jean Su on polices to prevent shutoffs
16:16 Jean Su on the reality of underreported shutoffs
22:17 Sanya Carley on what happens to a household when a shutoff occurs
25:15 Sanya Carley on seeking help after a shutoff
27:44 Sanya Carley on federal impact on shutoffs
29:56 Sanya Carley on what state legislatures can do
35:25 Tamara Jones on working for justice
38:09 Tamara Jones on who is impacted by energy injustice
46:14 Tamara Jones on examples of where policy gets it right
50:56 Tamara Jones on what work needs to be done in policy and regulation
For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit our episode page at climateone.org
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