One in five Chicago households are over 30 days late on their heating bills as of Sept. 30. Cumulatively they owe more than $120 million, according to a report published in Crain’s Chicago Business. As we head into what could be one of the most expensive heating seasons in recent…...
Study reveals October disconnection surge
Special consumer protections and a ninefold expansion in utility bill assistance in 2020 helped keep disconnections low during widespread economic stress caused by the pandemic, with the exception of October. In October 2020, disconnections doubled as utilities lifted their ban on shut offs, according to a new Tufts University study.…...
Energy assistance updates, tips to keep your utility service on during the pandemic
The pandemic has been so hard on Illinois utility customers that it’s gained national attention. An economist discovered that close to 1 percent of all residences in Illinois were cut off for nonpayment in October 2020, according to an in-depth report by the Washington Post. Steve Cicala, an economist at…...
Washington Post: Nearly 1% of all Illinois residences were cut off for nonpayment in October 2020
In a special report from Peoria, Washington Post reporter Greg Jaffe uncovered grim statistics about shut-offs in that Central Illinois city. It indicates, as one researcher said, that our social safety net is in “grave need of repair.” Jaffe reports: As the pandemic dragged on month after month, hundreds struggled…...
