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  • Article and Audio Segment - Hawai'i Public Radio

Behind on electric bills? A spike in disconnections has the state seeking solutions

By: Savannah Harriman-Pote

Thursday, August 22, 2024

HPR News Staff
Hawaiian Electric declined HPR’s request for an interview on its disconnection process, but the utility’s website advises customers who are having trouble with their bills to reach out to set up a payment plan. They also offer special assistance to customers with medical needs or who are on life support.

Getting data from utilities is a big hurdle in trying to understand how disconnections affect customers, said David Konisky, co-director of the Energy Justice Lab, which tracks utility disconnections nationwide.

During the pandemic, many states, including Hawaiʻi, put in place temporary moratoria on disconnections, which were often paired with reporting requirements. Konisky said it was the first time information on disconnections was broadly available.

But fewer than half of states have kept those reporting requirements in place, hampering researchers’ ability to examine how and why utilities are cutting customers’ power.

"It's really challenging to get a full picture of the problem across the country because of this inconsistency in reporting," Konisky said.

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Learn more about the Public Utilities Commission’s energy equity work and comment on the utility disconnection report here.

Need help paying utility bills? Find available assistance programs here. 

Read the full story

Listen to the audio segment (segment 2, 14:10)

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