The Office of Sustainability and energy justice advocates recently secured an important win for energy justice at the Public Utility Commission (PUC), the state agency that regulates utilities. The PUC temporarily strengthened its rules preventing power shutoffs for when the National Weather Service issues heat alerts. The rules will help people stay safe by keeping fans and air conditioners running during a heatwave – even if a household has fallen behind on their bills.
Extreme heat is life threatening
Until recently, deadly extreme heat was uncommon in temperate Multnomah County, where summer temperatures historically rarely rose above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But climate change, the warming of the planet from the build up of fossil fuel pollution in the atmosphere, is leading to hotter summers and more frequent extreme heat. Extreme heat can lead to illness and death, and access to air conditioning is an important public health intervention, particularly for vulnerable populations like those with chronic illness, older adults, children, people who are pregnant, and veterans.
Energy justice in Multnomah County
The official start of summer is still weeks away, yet Multnomah County just experienced record-breaking heat that led to early dismissal for Portland schools. As heat increasingly impacts Multnomah County residents, the Office of Sustainability has prioritized advocacy for utility rules and practices that do not penalize people for experiencing poverty. Staff have worked to ensure energy justice is a core tenet in utility advocacy spaces, as stronger protections for access to energy utility service during severe weather can save lives.
What the new temporary protections mean
Thanks to the Office of Sustainability and energy justice advocates, these temporary enhanced disconnection protections are effective through late October:
- Our community will have stronger protections to avoid power shut offs for non-payment before and after a heat event.
- Community members will also benefit from disconnection protections after an air quality event, in addition to current protections for the day of the event.
- People with the lowest-incomes, and some with medical certificates, will not face the additional barrier of reconnection fees.
Learn about how summer power shutoff protections work.
A safety net for the community
Multnomah County’s advocacy for energy and climate justice is rooted in Board-adopted policy and a commitment as the community's safety net provider. Among the many safety net services, the County offers income-qualified energy assistance and weatherization. But those resources are insufficient to serve everyone in the community who needs the help, especially as the cost of energy utility service has increased drastically in recent years. That’s why the Office of Sustainability has been focused on expanding options for low-income households to avoid disconnection, access discounted energy rates, get back on track when they fall behind, and make sure that all residents of Multnomah County can stay safe when the weather becomes dangerous to human health.
Like much of the work in the Office of Sustainability, this set of protections would not have been possible without a community of advocates for an just energy future. These advocates include Community Energy Project, Citizens Utility Board, Verde, NW Energy Coalition, the Coalition of Communities of Color, Community Action Partnership of Oregon and many others.
