Assistance to Low-Income Electric Consumers: Tabular Analysis. Final Report

摘要

The results of this tabular analysis show that while low-income consumers tend to consume lesser quantities of electricity than higher income customers, there is a sizable proportion of low-income consumers who consume more than 300 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. Should a lifeline rate be adopted for the electric utilities in Massachusetts, limiting the lifeline block to under 300 kWh per month, would appear to assist a good number of low-income customers while minimizing the subsidization of higher income customers. The lifeline block length should consider the fact that it is not necessary to include the use of electricity for cooking, water heating, and space heating among the essential uses, if the intent of the rate is to assist the low income electricity consumer. The study also indicates that electricity consumption is related to the number of people in the household and the age of those residing in the household. Large families tend to use greater quantities of electricity than smaller families. Small families composed of persons 65 years of age or older tend to use less electricity than small families whose members are under 65. Additional study is required to determine the relationship between income and family size within each of the utilities' service areas. The use of electricity for cooking, house heating, supplemental house heating and water heating is more prevalent among higher income electricity consumers than lower income electricity consumers. Weatherization programs appear to be an opportunity to assist low-income consumers with winter heating bills. 18 tabs. (ERA citation 10:023924)