Recession Doesn’t Lower the Utility Bills

Feb 1, 2010

More U.S. households than ever are being disconnected from the utility grids, despite winter weather.

California, the largest state in the U.S., reported more than 91,000 households lost utility service. Those figures came from the summer, before winter weather caused increased heating bills. In Ohio, hard hit by job losses, one in ten households was reported as experiencing a gas or electricity disconnection last year. The figures are expected to be worse this year.

Southern California Edison admits that it has disconnected customers owing as little as $30, thanks – supposedly – to their new computerized meters. But who programmed the computers – if not the utility company.

Utility shutoffs threaten death during high summer heat and low winter temperatures. Yet no state forces their utilities to keep customers on the grid.

Gas and electricity are basic necessities. They shouldn’t be in the hands of private companies that measure every action according to how it affects their profits.