utilities

Squatting for survival in Philadelphia: What it’s like to live in a ‘takeover house’

The article goes in-depth about the history of squatting in the city of Philadelphia and the situations that lead to squatting in cities like Philadelphia with high unemployment, homelessness, transient or intermittent housing, and high percentages of low-income households (Chicago for example...Read more

What to Do When You Can’t Pay Your Utility Bill

This brief article concisely summarizes available options for people and households in need of bill assistance. Prior to providing information on bill assistance, however, this article goes into an all-familiar step-by-step on how to change our household behaviors to reduce energy expenditure....Read more

PUC Seeks Comment on Proposed Settlements with Retail Energy SuppliersConcerning Sales & Marketing Practices

This article is a press release by Pennsylvania's Public Utility Commission following recent investigations into misleading marketing outlets on the part of Pennsylvania energy suppliers. Following the investigations, NG&E will have to pay civil penalties and contribute to hardship funds in...Read more

The historical–geographical construction of power: electricity in Eastern North Carolina

The attached paper analyzes the creation of the uneven distribution of electricity throughout Eastern North Carolina, tracing the history of the energy distribution from the introduction of utilities to now. The author dives into the different organizational structures of energy utilities, how...Read more

Utah Community Renewable Energy Act

The attached document is a bill passed through Utah's state Senate that outlines their mission towards 100% renewable energy by 2030 through the use of Community Renewable Energy initiatives. There's no similar legislature throughout the U.S. (at least, that I can find) that legally...Read more

Peco improperly shut off nearly 50,000 customers because of computer glitches

This article provides an update on a case of technical negligence by PECO in 2018 and 2019, when their automated phone service which informs customers of a service shutoff 72-hours ahead of the termination failed to make the call (2018) or gave the wrong termination date (2019). This article...Read more

Peco plans hourly rates to encourage customers to shift energy use to off-peak periods

PA regulators have approved PECO’s plan to implement time-of-use rates for its customers, including both residential and commercial consumers. The hope is that some will shift electricity use to off-peak hours, during which rates of use will be discounted. The system has three price tiers...Read more

Do you think climate change is impacting Philly?

Other than the normal - like I said the normal changes in the environment, or in climate, and the changes in utilities and things of that nature, which has a big impact. I don't know, I'm trying to figure out what they could do to be more efficient in terms of providing clean energy to us...Read more

Nearly 35 million households will lose their utility shutoff protections over the next month

With the onset of the pandemic, many states have put moratoriums in place to avoid families being shutoff in the middle of the crisis. However, even with extensions, many of these moratoriums are set to expire by the end of September, which would leave a little less than 35 million people...Read more

Has COVID-19 changed other weekly/monthly expenses or created new expenses?

It's changed gasoline because I don't have to drive as often, so that's been less. But of course, there's more heat required and more electricity and water usage, so all utilities are going up. Read more

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