Air conditioning is more important than ever. America isn't prepared.
NASHVILLE — The moment NeedLink Nashville opened its doors just after Labor Day weekend, Melissa Besong entered the nonprofit’s office holding her overdue electric bill. Four months after losing her job as a home health aide, she didn’t want to miss out on a chance to keep her power running.More than 40 years ago, Congress established a critical safety net, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, to help people financially survive frigid winters and the costs of run heat.
But advocates said about 85 percent has already gone to winter heating bills, which have also soared as global energy prices surged. This left little for people enduring another sweltering summer.
As temperatures rise due to climate change, air conditioning units are using more energy to keep homes comfortable, generating staggering bills and shut-off warnings for those who fail to pay. For 78-year-old Annette Todd Moore, who suffers from asthma and relies on a breathing machine, turning off the AC wasn’t an option.
Her finicky air conditioner, she suspected, caused her electric bill this summer to skyrocket. “This summer was pretty hot,” she said, holding a bill with an overdue balance of $253. “Most definitely hotter than last summer.” Louisiana is no stranger to brutal summers. A spokesman for Entergy, the largest utility in the state, said this summer delivered some of the hottest weather on record across the four states it serves, “leading to record-level electricity usage by our customers.”
While policymakers generally agree that a warm home is essential, some still see cooling as a luxury. Most states have policies preventing power shut offs during the winter, but less than half have similar policies for the summer.
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