Federal Report Reveals 13 Million Electricity Shutoffs in U.S. Indicating Financial Distress
A federal report has disclosed that utility companies in the United States shut off electricity to households 13.4 million times in 2024, with an additional 1.7 million gas disconnections. This data, collected for the first time under a new federal mandate, highlights a significant level of financial distress among American households. The report indicates that about half of U.S. states do not require utilities to report disconnection data, which has previously obscured the full extent of the issue. The Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental advocacy group, had estimated a lower number of shutoffs, making the actual figures more alarming. The report also notes that disconnections were most frequent in Southern states, where factors such as high poverty rates, rising energy costs, and minimal consumer protections exacerbate the situation. 
