National Cooling Standards Initiative
Public Utility Commission Seminar Series
Developing New Approaches to Addressing Summer Temperatures for Low-Income and Vulnerable Populations
Hosted by CEPC and the ClimateWorks Foundation
The Center for Energy Poverty and Climate (CEPC) and the ClimateWorks Foundation hosted a series of webinars during February and March 2024 to underscore the need for action from policy makers and public utility regulators given the rise of extreme heat events associated with climate change. discuss several topics related to state energy plans, cooling technology, and low-income populations. Each session included presentations by expert speakers that explained the problem and potential solutions, followed by a moderated discussion between participants and speakers.
Session 1: State Strategies to Address the Need for Utility Disconnection Moratoriums to Address Rising Temperatures
Tuesday, February 13, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In this first session, Mark Wolfe, CEPC Co-Director, and Karen Lusson, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), discussed the objectives of this webinar series, reviewed the existing patchwork of cooling shutoff protections, and identified best practices for address rising temperatures from a utility standpoint. Discussion centered around considerations for developing adequate seasonal shut-off protections.
Session 2: Preventing Shutoff – Emerging State Models to Create Affordable Rate Structures
Tuesday, February 20, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In this session, Cassandra Lovejoy, CEPC Co-Director, and John Howat, Senior Energy Analyst at NCLC reviewed existing models for affordable utility bills for financially struggling customers, including PIPP, Lifeline Rates, and Discount Programs. They discussed regulatory strategies for putting the programs together and highlighted special summer cooling concerns.
Session 3: Advancing the Energy Transition – Best Practices for Utility-Sponsored Rebate & Energy Efficiency Programs to Address the Need for Weatherization and Efficient Cooling Systems
Tuesday, March 5, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In this session, three panelists highlighted emerging technologies and state-level strategies to address summer cooling. Olivia Wein, Staff Attorney at NCLC, presented on ways to design rebate programs that move the market and develop programs that braid and leverage the federal rebates with existing utility-sponsored and federal weatherization programs. Michael DiRamio, Assistant Director of Energy & Climate Equity at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) shared a detailed overview of NYSERDA’s approaches to helping low-income households with summer cooling costs. Finally, Mark Kresowik, Senior Policy Director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) focused on the need for efficient electrification and a transition away from fossil fuels.
Session 4: Protecting Vulnerable Populations from Extreme Heat
Tuesday, March 12, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
In the last session of this four-part webinar series, Grace Wickerson, Health Equity Policy Manager at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) and Dr. Christopher Worsham, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School highlighted the ways in which low-income populations are especially impacted by periods of extreme heat and high temperatures. They discussed models at both the federal and state levels to protect medically vulnerable populations from the health impacts of extreme heat, and they also explained the medical need for continued access to essential utility services, even when low-income families might be struggling to pay their bills.