Utility debt and disconnection notices increase in March as energy affordability crisis hardens for DC households

DC’s years-long energy affordability crisis is only getting worse, accelerated by data center buildout, overseas wars, and foot-dragging by our city’s regulatory authority, the PSC. Now, with Pepco’s official March numbers out, we can see the damage that high Pepco bills are wreaking on households across DC.

• Utility debt increased 4% to 81,042 customers

  • 68% of low-income customers are now in debt to Pepco as low-income debt increased 21% in just one month

• Disconnection notices are up to 21,401—an increase of 5.3%

• As the weather stabilized, Pepco’s monthly revenue fell to $42.3 million (a decrease of 26% from a cold February)

The silver lining is that there are several bills introduced at the DC Council aimed at reducing utility bills, increasing transparency, and other pro-ratepayer protections. These bills include Nadeau’s Utility Disconnection Protection Act, Allen’s GRID Act, R. White’s Transparent Rates and Utility Expenses Amendment Act, and Lewis George’s emergency legislation to pause electricity shutoffs.

Bills addressing utility affordability and transparency now only have movement since McDuffie’s resignation from the DC Council to run on the democratic ticket for mayor. It is well known among unions, advocates, and concerned residents that McDuffie has a concerning cozy relationship with Pepco and Washington Gas. His decisions to act in the best interests of corporate, monopoly utilities has stalled progress on making DC’s energy cheaper, greener, and even easier to understand

In addition, Muriel Bowser is still attempting to force through her reappointments of PSC Chairman Thompson and Commissioner Trabue despite the DC Council originally letting these nominations expire in late April. During their tenure, Thompson and Trabue have approved rate hikes for both electric and gas, including bungling a rate case so poorly, the DC Court of Appeals threw out the decision.

Bowser, McDuffie, and their visionless, moderate counterparts have left us with an energy landscape that is too expensive, too opaque, and too beneficial for corporate utilities. Pepco and Washington Gas continue to dodge financial responsibility and slow-walk green projects simply because they are not financially motivated. Only through new leadership and public power can DC achieve our necessary goals of an affordable, clean, independent energy grid.