JOURNAL OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE
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JOURNAL OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE
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Vol. 1, No. 1 -- January 2007
Content in This Issue
NOTE: Articles contained in the Journal of Energy Assistance represent the opinions and conclusions of the respective authors. Unless otherwise stated, the articles reflect neither the views or nor an endorsement by the Journal’s Editorial Board.
-- Click on a headline below to read the article in Adobe PDF format --
Analysis Summary: More than a dozen states have recently designed and implemented energy-affordability plans that benefit low-income customers. Many others have considered how to best implement new affordability programs. These plans have usually been funded with ratepayer dollars and aim to supplement the state’s LIHEAP and other energy assistance programs while minimizing administrative costs. APPRISE has evaluated several energy-affordability programs and has a comprehensive understanding of potential benefits and drawbacks that may result from different program models. In this paper, APPRISE describes options for designing such a program and provides information on the advantages and disadvantages of models for achieving several program goals. APPRISE, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to collecting and analyzing data and information to assess and improve public programs.
Case Study Summary: Individuals and organizations throughout the country working to assist low-income utility consumers are continually looking for new ways to help them to achieve their goals. This article describes how the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) was able to successfully launch one such tool: “Project Stay Connected” in Massachusetts. The project has resulted in the training of over 1,200 front-line human services staff in the basic rights of utility customers; distribution of over 2,000 copies of the project’s handbook, Utilities Advocacy for Low-Income Households; establishment of an e-mail list-serve that now has over 300 subscribers; and numerous advocacy successes in terms of protecting individual customers from termination, enrolling 60,000 new low-income customers onto discount rates and establishing better payment policies for customers in arrears. Analysis Summary: Because of the persistent gap between available funds and the number of households that qualify for assistance, only about 5.7 million low-income households -- roughly 15 percent of the 38 million that were eligible -- received help through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in 2006. In an October 2006 study republished here, the American Gas Association concluded that only a combination of action by Congress to substantially increase financial assistance to low-income families for their energy bills in fiscal year 2006 and a mild winter that reduced heating demand averted a potential energy crisis for families faced with increased heating fuel costs.
Feedback We welcome your views on any of the articles that appear in the Journal of Energy Assistance and also encourage interested parties to submit material for publication. If you have a question, want to comment on an article or wish to offer material for consideration by the editorial board, please feel free to contact editor@energyassistancejournal.org. A new section containing reader comments will appear in future issues of the Journal.
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© 2007-2008, Journal of Energy Assistance, published quarterly by the National Low Income Energy Consortium 6324 Beryl Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 Phone 703-642-9070 FAX 703-916-7850
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