Electric and gas utilities offer protections from service disconnections during certain months of the year or during certain weather conditions. Disconnection protections, however, vary widely across states and utilities. In this body of work, we track utility disconnection protections across place and time, evaluating the degree to which protections may lead to adverse health outcomes, may be inadequate with a changing climate, and may fail to protect those that are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Electric utility disconnection policy and vulnerable populations

Utility disconnection policies vary greatly by state. These variations are often based on medical needs, time of year, temperature thresholds, and more. Even small variations can produce significant differences in protection levels. 

"Electric utility disconnection policy and vulnerable populations," (M. Flaherty, S. Carley, D. Konisky), The Electricity Journal Volume 33 10, (December 2020)

Learn more