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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