Last week, consumer advocates called on utilities across the state–including Ameren Illinois, Commonwealth Edison, Peoples Gas and Nicor Gas–to issue a moratorium on utility shut-offs and offer special assistance to help residents of areas ravaged by extreme summer weather.
Leaders of several advocacy groups, such as the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Blacks In Green (BIG), and Community Organizing & Family Issues (COFI), united with state Rep. La Shawn K. Ford to advocate for a moratorium and special assistance. Their collective stance is that despite the passing of the stormy weather, the lingering costs continue to persist.
“In an emergency like this, utilities need to rise to the occasion and be good corporate citizens,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “These utilities are incredibly profitable, and they are currently asking for record rate increases. We’re urging them to look beyond their bottom lines and stand up for their customers.”
“When I speak with impacted residents, I hear how many are struggling to choose between paying their bills and putting food on the table,” Rep. Ford said. “Especially for those who are on a fixed income or LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), we need to show compassion and come together to help get people back on their feet. A brief moratorium will go a long way in helping our neighbors.”
In response to the severe weather incidents that occurred between June 29 and July 4, including high winds, tornadoes, and flash flooding, Governor J.B. Pritzker has issued disaster declarations for eight Illinois counties. The affected counties are Cook, Coles, Edgar, Hancock, McDonough, Morgan, Sangamon, and Washington.
Neighborhoods in and around Chicago’s West Side were heavily impacted by the extreme weather, where a staggering 9 inches of rainfall on July 2 caused widespread flooding of streets and basements. The aftermath of the storm has added further burden to residents who were already facing difficulties in paying their utility bills prior to the severe weather. Now, they are confronted with the additional financial strain of costly cleanup and home repairs.
“The last thing people need after this extreme flooding, when they already face the difficult and expensive clean-up of a home and replacement of lost furniture and other household goods and are still struggling from COVID’s aftermath, is to have to worry about the threat of utility disconnections,” said Rozalia Grillier, Co-President Emeritus of POWER-PAC IL, the statewide parent-led organization supported by Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI). “We urge the utilities to put themselves in the shoes of their financially struggling customers and keep the power on.”
“Right now, a lot of seniors and people on fixed incomes are dealing with their water tanks and furnaces going out due to flooding and are having to decide between paying to replace these appliances or keep up to date on their utility bills,” said Princess Shaw, a community organizer and founder of the nonprofit Light Up Lawndale who has seen the flood damage firsthand. “This utility moratorium would allow residents of these affected neighborhoods the breathing room to recover from the storm.”
“We urge utility management to halt utility disconnections for financially struggling customers–particularly during these extreme weather events,” said Karen Lusson, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “Utility disconnections make homes uninhabitable, and those who have been impacted by intense flooding are already facing the difficult task of clean-up and restoration of their living spaces.”
In addition to advocating for a shutoff moratorium, consumer advocates urged local utilities to provide further assistance to their customers. This includes offering more flexible and consumer-friendly payment plans, increased support for bill payments, ensuring the protection of customers enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), and conducting better outreach to storm-affected regions. The objective of the outreach would be to educate residents about energy efficiency incentives that could effectively reduce their energy expenses.
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