This article provides an update on the state of residential utility arrears in New Jersey, where nearly 600,000 customers owe more than $570 million in back payments. Johnson explains that low income workers/households were hit by pandemic costs and losses particularly hard, but that middle...Read more
PSE&G reports restoring power to 99.5% of its customers who had lost it because of the storm. However, still without power are Morris, Essex, Salem, and Bergen counties. Questions that arise are: why are these specific counties still left without power? Does it have to do with spatiality,...Read more
This article disscusses how cities may protect vulnerable residents from the risks of extreme heat during the COVID19 pandemic. Read more
This news analysis discusses extreme heat and energy insecurities during the COVID19 pandemic. This article calls for an expansion of energy efficiency and bill assistance programs (e.g. expanding LIHEAP funding for summer months) along with a nation-wide utility shutoff moratorium to provide...Read more
Energy companies are pressing the PUC to relax their moratorium on shutting off non-paying customers. Unpaid bills amount to $479 billion at the end of June. Utilities also blame the moratoriums for encouraging customers not to enter into agreements, where companies like PECO only had 2% of its...Read more
This article discuss a community solar project in East Parkside, as well as state policies that are preventing the project from moving forward.Read more
Performance Incentive Mechanisms (PIMs) are being considered to nudge utilities' behaviors and have been successful in states like New York and Rhode Island. Hawaii implemented shared savings mechanisms which include solar development and storage. Effective PIMs do require a move away from '...Read more
This article states that Philadelphia's rental assistance program now includes funds for renters' utility payments, up to $2,000 each for water, electric, and gas. This is in addition to the $2,000 monthly for rent payments. This is made possible because of the $97 million in federal funds...Read more
This article describes two bills, one introducted to PA's senate and the other to PA's house, which would increase the state's renewable energy goal from 8% to 18% by 2026. This would increase the number of solar jobs from .5% to 5.5%. This could create nearly 1.6 billion in economic growth and...Read more
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
This article provides a very clear and specific overview of the pandemic's impact on communities, especially low-income, communities of color. In this article, writers of the DNRC discuss how, despite assistance specifically set aside for the pandemic, households continued to face evictions and...Read more