Story thread · 4 reports / 2 sources

1000s miss out on Pa. utility assistance, but regulators aren’t sold on plans for automatic enrollment

spotlightpa.org · 2h · first reportShare

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s electric and natural gas companies are required to offer discounted bills to low-income customers, but for years the programs have reached only a fraction of those who qualify. Now the long-running debate about how to increase the number of customers getting help is taking on new urgency as utility bills skyrocket and shutoffs hit record highs. A new data-sharing system could help increase participation, but opposition from the state Public Utility Commission is thwarting efforts to use the data in the way consumer advocates argue would be most effective: allowing utilities to automatically sign up eligible customers. Between 2014 and 2024, about 22% of eligible natural gas customers and 23% of eligible electric customers received assistance each year, according to state data. (Data for 2025 and 2026 aren’t yet available.) The data-sharing initiative, which has taken years to develop, could significantly increase participation rates. When applying for help f