September Pepco Numbers: Customers indebted to Pepco remains steady despite bills down from the summer highs

DC residents remain overburdened by utility costs during the fall, even as the cost of energy came down from the highs of the summer months. From September to October, Pepco revenue dropped, but the percentage of customers indebted to the monopoly utility (i.e. customers in arrears) remained in the low twenty percent. That is nearly one in four residents behind on their bills to Pepco.

While disconnection notices ticked up to 17,576, there were no power shutoffs during October. This is mainly due to the prolonged government shutdown where Pepco did not shut off power to federal worker-heavy DC. This move mirrors actions earlier this year where high utility costs forced Pepco to suspend power shutoffs and late fees after public pressure. Additionally, utility protections have been a rising topic of interest, especially during shutdowns and extreme weather events, which prompted CM Nadeau to introduce the Utility Disconnection Protection Act in 2024.

Despite cheaper bills compared to summer, it’s concerning that so many residents continue to struggle with Pepco bills. As wallets tighten for the holiday season, even more households will be choosing between necessities as Pepco and other investor-owned utilities make life unaffordable in DC with their greed.