energy affordability

Peco seeks electric rate hike that would boost bills by 9.65%, citing grid costs and COVID-19

Peco, citing the need for “significant” upgrades to the local electric grid and for pandemic-related customer relief, on Tuesday filed a request seeking a $246 million electric rate increase that...Read more

Pa. stymies Philadelphia green-energy plan to add biogas to PGW’s fuel

PGW's proposed green energy pilot, which would add Renewable Natural Gas produced from landfills or farm waste into it's natural gas mix, was rejected by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, stating that the pilot would violate state law that requires state-regulated utilities to procure...Read more

Millions of Americans Can't Afford Water, as Bills Rise 80% in a Decade

This artifact synthesizes research conducted and published by the Guardian US and co-published by Consumer Reports as apart of their ongoing investigation into the Water Crisis in America. After analyzing 12 diverse cities in the United States, it's been found that the combined price of water...Read more

As water bills rise, PWSA ramps up efforts to help low-income customers

Water rates have inflated four times faster since 2017. In city’s neighborhoods, 1 in 5 customers spent 10% or more of their income on water. PWSA (Pittsburgh’s local water supplier) has sent shutoff notices to 20% of their nearly 8000 customers who fell behind on their bills. Payment...Read more

COVID In Pennsylvania: Commonwealth To Lift Last Moratorium On Utility Shutoffs

As with other articles released this week, CBS3 Philly reports on the Pennsylvania PUC's decision to lift the moratorium on utility disconnections this coming April 1st. The decision follows pressures from utility representatives, who claim there is now federal assistance available to renters to...Read more

City of Seattle extends eviction and utility moratorium into January 2022

This article was recently published by the Seattle Pi, detailing an extension the city has placed on eviction moratoria. While the article doesn't specify whether utility moratoria was extended, it does say city officials recommend their constituents call utilities to arrange for...Read more

PUC Issues Aqua/Peoples Gas Audit Report & Implementation Plan

To reduce costs offloaded on consumers, Pennsylvania's PUC called for several cost-saving measures from gas, water, and wastewater utilities Aqua PA and People's Gas. The hopes are to save over $400,000 dollars in expenses for the utilities, which would ultimately be 'saved' by utility consumers...Read more

Senate Leaders Push ‘Clean Electricity Payment Program’ - A $200 Billion Green New Deal, With Big Implications

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with other Democrats, added a measure known as the Clean Electricity Payment Program (CEPP) to the Build Back Better Act, which makes payments to electricity companies that increase the amount of carbon-free energy they sell and penalizes...Read more

Renewable Energy Is Suddenly Startlingly Cheap

This article provides a great overview of the changes and transitions in energy that are being witnessed at the moment and that have made more than significant advances in the last three years. A non-profit, environmentalist agency (Carbon Tracker) has documented the steady decrease in prices...Read more

Philadelphia water bills will go up Wednesday. Here’s why, and how it could have been worse.

On September 1st, 2021, Philadelphians will begin to receive water bills that reflect a 3.6% rate increase, as Philadelphia's 2021 water rate case has been approved by the PUC. Over two years, the rate will increase by 10.3% for residential customers. The water rate increase in Philadelphia is...Read more

As Philadelphia works to tackle climate change, a question emerges: Is PGW on board?

With attempts to electrify grids in a sustainable way, many oil and gas furnaces will inevitably be shut down by 2025. The foregoing is a threat for energy supplies for utilities such as PGW, among utilities that opposed updated and thorough building code implementation. The call to transition...Read more

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