Misty Pellew’s family lived in the dark for several days this month.
Pellew’s power was shut off Nov. 13 because of $602 in unpaid bills, the latest in a string of financial humiliations that began six months ago after her husband lost his $20-an-hour excavation job in northeastern Pennsylvania. The recent government shutdown dealt another blow, delaying federal funding for programs that helped the family pay for food and utilities.
Although Pellew’s lights were temporarily turned back on last week, they were set to be disconnected again if she didn’t pay another $102. With an overdrawn bank account, she was bracing to be without power again. Last time, her family ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner and slept in hoodies and gloves to keep warm.
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Although delinquent payments may not lead to immediate disconnections — more than 40 states have rules against turning off customers’ power during the winter or in extreme cold weather, for example — rising energy insecurity sets a worrisome precedent, according to the Energy Justice Lab, a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University. Studies also show that difficulty paying utility bills can increase the risks of poverty and that once a household falls behind on energy payments, it is likely to become a recurring problem.
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