Electric utilities across the United States are shutting off power to a growing number of households, according to a recent report that also found most shutoffs happened during last yearโs record-hot summer, a reminder that climate change fuels more intense, frequent, and prolonged heat waves.
Shutoffs can be deadly, especially during extreme freezes and blistering heat. And while health issues are the most worrisome risk, there are other threats to daily life such as losing access to phone, internet, medical equipment, and food storage. Basic physical comfort can prove impossible.
The report by the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity revealed that six investor-owned utilities disconnected customers between January and September 2024 more than 662,000 times, an over 20 percent jump from the same period in 2023. Those companies included Georgia Power, DTE Energy, Duke Energy, Ameren Corporation, Pacific Gas & Electric, and Arizona Public Service.
But all shutoffs, and the harms they cause, are avoidab... Read more
