Residential utility shutoffs are up by 228 percent, and electric bills by 17 percent, a recent report by the Energy and Policy Institute and Center for Biological Diversity said. Legislation introduced earlier this year by state Democratic Representative Lisa Willner and Republican representative Jason Nemes, both of Louisville, aims to rein in disconnections.
Chris Woolery, residential energy coordinator with the nonprofit Mountain Association, said House Bill 66 would create a 30 day grace period protecting Kentuckians from shutoffs if a health provider certifies a disconnection would threaten a resident’s health. In addition to making other reforms, the legislation would also prevent utilities from disconnecting customers who pay at least 10 percent of their bill or make a $200 payment.
“Standards for temperatures, of which you can’t disconnect in the winter or in the summer, certificates of needs for person who are at risk, that have medical needs and can’t be disconnected,” Woolery said.
Last year, one in five American households struggled to pay for an energy bill. That rate was 50 percent higher for households of color. According to the report, the companies most responsible for utility disconnections are the ones spending lavishly on executive pay — around $6 million per executive annually.
Woolery pointed out monthly energy costs are burdening communities already dealing with unprecedented extreme weather events.
“We need to be pushing for the solutions that Kentuckians need, and also thinking ahead to how we can mitigate the extreme weather events that we’re already facing,” Woolery added.
Woolery said policies that help more households invest in energy efficient and clean energy upgrades are one way to keep costs down for families.
“That will bring jobs and cost savings to Kentucky at a much higher rate than other investments. It’s a little harder to do. But the opportunity is tremendous,” Woolery said.
In the first quarter of 2022, more than half of households nationwide earning less than $25,000 a year reported cutting back on basic necessities such as food or medicine in order to pay an energy bill, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.
