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We want to feature the voices of the people most impacted by electricity shut offs. If this news affects you, reach out to
dominic@tpr.org or leave a voicemail at (210) 615-8982.
Despite
hotter-than-normal summer temperatures in the forecast, private electricity companies are pressuring the Public Utility Commission of Texas, or PUC, to allow power shutoffs for people who haven’t paid their bills.
Many Texans are behind on electricity bills: nearly 170,000 in San Antonio and about 50,000 in Austin — areas where electricity is provided by city-owned utilities. The average past-due amount is about $600.
NRG and Vistra — the massive conglomerates whose subsidiaries dominate the state’s deregulated electricity market, which includes Houston and Dallas — did not answer TPR's questions about how many of their customers owe money.