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Lawmakers hear pitch for bill to bar utility shutoffs during extreme heat
Summary
A sponsor presented H.88, legislation to prohibit utility disconnections during extreme-heat events and to extend year‑round protections for vulnerable customers; committee members asked for Vermont-specific data and cost and implementation details.
Representative Kate McCann presented legislation (H.88) that would bar utilities from disconnecting essential services during periods of extreme heat and would create year‑round protections for customers who cannot pay. She told the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee the measure aims to “prevent utility shutoffs during heat waves and ensure continued access to those essential services during periods of extreme heat.”
The bill’s sponsor said the proposal was developed with support from the Center for Energy, Poverty, and Climate and cited a National Consumer Law Center report on extreme heat and utility consumers. McCann said only 19 states had mandatory limits on summer disconnections as of July 1, 2023, and called H.88 a way to extend protections to…
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