The Dashboard shows data in a map view with a small bar graph on the bottom right showing total disconnections and disconnection rates for each reporting utility company. The data explorer displays the same data, but makes it easier to view these data over time, by state or utility.
A utility disconnection is defined as a deliberate interruption or limitation of a customer's utility service by the serving utility company, due to nonpayment.
The disconnection rate ia the number of disconnections divided by the total number of residential accounts. To calculate this number, we use the total number of residential accounts as provided by utilities. In the case where utility companies do not report this number, we use the annually reported number of customers in corresponding EIA-861 (electric) and EIA-176 (gas) reports, matched by utility, state, and year.
The Utility Disconnections Dashboard is a resource developed by the Energy Justice Lab to collect, display, and share information about energy utility disconnections and related atate policies.
As we specify in the Technical Documentation, the information on disconnections comes directly from utility reports, data received from open records requests from municipal utilities, or data shared from partners.
All utility disconnections data and each state's utility disconnection protection policies can be downloaded from the map view, including maps, graphs, and tables. Our Technical Documentation (currently Version 1.1) can also be downloaded.
To find these totals and averages accross utilities and/or states, please download the data provided on the Dashboard and perform these calculations.
When using the data provided on the Dashboard, or citing the Dashboard more generally, please use the following citation: Sanya Carley and David Konisky, 2023, "Utiliy Disconnections Dashboard," Energy Justice Lab.
The Utility Disconnections tab shows a clickable map for utility disconnections data, including the total number of disconnections and disconnection rate, by year or month, for each state (broken down by utility company). The Disconnection Policies tab shows a clickable map for state policies for disconnections protections, including protection types (e.g., cold- and heat-based protections, protections for individuals, and procedural requirements) and specific policies within each protection type.
If you cannot find your utility company on the Dashboard, this means that the specific company (or state) does not report data.
The Lab updates the disconnection data on the Dashboard at least twice per year, and the policy data at least once per year.
Yes! We hope to soon expand the Dashboard to include service territories, as well as additional indicators. Stay tuned!
Please feel free to email the Lab at enjlab@indiana.edu with any information that you know of, or have, that is not currently represented on the Dashboard.
Please feel free to email us with any questions, comments, or concerns at enjlab@indiana.edu.
The Dashboard is supported on all major browsers, and we are actively working to make the Dashboard mobile-friendly.