Resident urges Maricopa council to press ED3 for better outage warnings and after‑hours service

A Maricopa resident told the City Council on Sept. 16 that he experienced two utility shutoffs by the electric provider ED3 and urged city leaders to press the company for better customer notifications and after‑hours emergency response.

Why it matters: The resident said the shutoffs occurred during triple‑digit heat, that his household did not receive prior notice and that the outages posed a public‑health risk for people who depend on electricity for medical devices or refrigerated medicines.

Robert Klob, a resident of Glenwild: "This isn't a customer service error. This is a public health hazard," he told the council. Klob said ED3 did not send texts, emails or calls before cutting power and that the company has no after‑hours customer service; he urged the council to use its influence to require modern communication protocols and an emergency response policy that limits summer shutoffs.

Klob recounted that his family experienced two shutoffs in short order and that the company later required a $250 deposit and reported a $600 loss of spoiled food. He told the council to consider vulnerable residents — people on oxygen, with insulin‑dependent conditions or infants — who could be put at risk without timely notice.

Council response: Council members listened and did not take formal action during the meeting. Mayor Smith and others said they would carry resident concerns forward to appropriate agencies, including the Arizona Corporation Commission and the utility, and explore avenues to press the provider to improve notifications. No ordinance or motion was introduced at the meeting.

Ending: The council received the public comment and indicated staff would follow up with the resident and with appropriate regulators or the utility to determine possible next steps.