One argument I would like to highlight, that could be useful to think about for our article, is the claim people try to survive the best they can when they are placed in precarious conditions (Petrova & Prodromidou, 2019:1390). More specifically, it is important analyze these claims under the idea of resilience, which could be an important point to make when referencing people's ability to cope using DIY means, cooling centers, and other strategies of the like. We could also make connections to the idea of resilience on microgrids and the possibility to be protected from loss of power for a minimum of 72 hours, even when disasters occur.
"the austerity regime has rendered the new energy poor in Greece both vulnerable and governable" (Petrova & Prodromidou, 2019:1395).
The above quote is important to think about for our EP article, particularly in terms of energy governance. We can make connections between the Utility Commissions across states, the Utility companies here in PA, and restructured LIHEAP funding under the lens of energy governance and sovereignity in general. Making these connections, we could highlight how certain orders, policies, and restructuring have made it possible for certain communities to be governed and be added to the classes of the energy insecure.
"..the experiences of the 'new energy poor', who are vulnerable to decreased incomes, high prices, new taxes, and 'inadequate socio-technical infrastructures' (Petrova & Prodromidou, 2019:1380).
We can think of the above as a parallel condition to what many across the United States (and the world) are now experiencing as a product of the pandemic. More specifically, we can draw connections between the unemployed status of many, significantly reduced income paralleled with continued utility, insurance, and other household expenses as a condition of new energy poverty, and new poverty in general. As such, our article should make inferences on the potential (almost certain) expansion of energy poverty at the onset, throughout, and following the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as effective protective measures and policies continue to be disregarded.
"Austerity measures have produced unevenly distributed socio-spatial vulnerabilities" (Petrova & Prodromidou, 2019:1383).
Thinking about this quote, we can relate austerity measures to policies that have been institued (or not) during the current pandemic and that may have very well increased and expanded the class of those classified as energy insecure. We should keep in mind this quote when we analyze responses to our surveys, but also as we draft our articles with orders related to moratoriums, increased funding to LIHEAP, and utility companies' responses in Pennsylvania.