Electricity shut offs soared 80% in Maryland last year, according to a utility watchdog group that says terminations of consumers’ electric and gas service for non-payment has turned into a national epidemic.
Electric companies cut off power to Maryland households more than 74,000 times last year, according the group’s report, Powerless in the U.S., released Monday. Shutoffs in the 30 states and Washington where data was available, including Maryland, totaled 1.5 million. Based on that data, researchers estimate that in all 50 states, 4.2 million household shutoffs occurred.
“Utility shutoffs are spiraling out of control,” said the report, compiled by Energy and Policy Institute using data utilities file to regulators, including the Public Service Commission in Maryland.
