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The statewide utility debt crisis is at a critical moment - on December 21st, the policy protecting people from having their gas and electric services terminated because they owe money on their bills will be phased out. This means that your utility will be legally entitled to shut off people’s electricity and heat during the winter months.
If you are struggling to pay your utility bills, you are not alone. This is a systemic issue resulting from years of unaffordable rate hikes and lack of access to energy efficiency and weatherization services. This crisis has only gotten worse during the pandemic. With over 1.2 million households across the state in debt (amounting to over $1.5 billion), energy justice advocates are warning us about a wave of shutoffs once this policy is no longer in place. The average customer in debt owes over $1,300 - an insurmountable sum for most families. We cannot allow the corporate energy companies to perpetrate such cruelty against our friends and neighbors.
We can work together to right this wrong. Since the beginning of the pandemic, AGREE has been working with our allies in the Energy Democracy Alliance to address the energy debt crisis, advocating for debt cancellation and increased resources for energy efficiency and renewable energy to help bring down energy costs.
Now, we are collecting stories about the energy debt crisis to share with policy makers. If you, or someone you know, has been struggling with utility debt, our legislators and policy makers need to hear from you. Average New Yorkers know that the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still burdening our communities, and we have to make it clear to our utility regulators that we need energy debt cancelled now!
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