NY Times: Power Cut Off by Con Ed for Arrears in More Cases

Power Cut Off by Con Ed for Arrears in More Cases

By KEN BELSON
Published: October 9, 2008


One of the most reliable indicators of tough times is how many people have their electricity turned off because they did not pay the bill.

The utility said that for the 12 months through September, 9,639 residential customers had their electricity turned off for nonpayment, 13 percent more than in the same period in 2007. The amount of those unpaid bills jumped faster — 28.3 percent — to $8.9 million, a reflection of the rise in energy prices.

During the same period, 1,600 nonresidential customers had their power turned off, an 8 percent increase.

The numbers provide a good indication that more people are having financial trouble, because electricity is so crucial to everyday life that families and businesses often do whatever they must to keep the lights on.

Con Ed jumps through a lot of hoops to warn customers that their electricity is in danger of being turned off. It sends as many as five warning letters over a 90-day period before turning a customer’s electricity off, according to Michael Clendenin, a spokesman for Con Ed. The company also calls customers and will occasionally visit a residence or business. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/nyregion/10power.html

Shortly after the California power disasters here (brownouts and rolling blackouts in 2000 that allowed Rove et al to engineer Davis' recall and the Gropernator's installation) PG&E actually tried to TAX people who were going off-grid or running their meters backwards with solar and wind power.

Can you imagine the nerve? It didn't work but they thought to try.

it is the grid

I'm a serf of the power company too.

I'm not trying to make light of anyone having their power shut off, but if there was an increase of 15% to 25% in foreclosures, I'm pretty sure the bank isn't going to keep the power & gas turned on in an empty house.