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

Join Climate One for an induction cooking demonstration night on July 21, at 6 p.m. at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. Come enjoy delicious food and wine, and learn about why cooking with magnets beats cooking with gas. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

***

Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today.

***

Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices