Fewer PA households starting winter without safe heating sources, study finds

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) found in its annual Cold Weather Survey that nine percent fewer Pennsylvania households are beginning winter without heating-related utility services or are using unsafe heating methods.

Over 22,000 households do not have access to safe heating methods this year, 2,150 households fewer than last year. That number is also 13 percent lower than 2014’s finding.

PUC has urged Pennsylvanians to contact their utility company about programs that can help them afford heat-related service if they don’t currently have access to it.

“This winter, for the second year in a row, fewer Pennsylvania families are beginning the winter without heat-related electric or natural gas service – or depending on potentially unsafe heating sources,” PUC Chairman Gladys M. Brown said. “Still, our Cold Weather Survey shows that thousands of our neighbors continue to struggle, and we urge those residents to take advantage of the numerous programs available to help them restore utility service and stay warm and safe this winter.”

The survey also found that the amount of families without electric utility service was 24 percent lower than the previous year. The number of homes that lost electric this year and are now using unsafe heating methods dropped by 7 percent. The number of former natural gas customers in the same situation dropped by 22 percent.

“Despite the steady improvements, there are still many households in-need across the state,” Brown said. “We encourage anyone struggling to maintain their heat-related service to call their utilities as soon as possible about a variety of PUC-required assistance programs to help heat their homes or pay their energy bills. According to the PUC’s most recent Universal Service Report, those assistance programs impact more than 767,000 households and are valued at over $418 million per year.”