Poverty and the Public Utility : Building Shareholder Value Through Low-Income Initiatives

The low-income population represents a valuable market segment within the utility service territory. Forty-seven million individuals live near poverty, occupying over 35 million households. Together, these households represent 28 per cent of the $159 billion U.S. home energy market. This book illuminates the interaction between poverty and the public utility. Building upon established approaches, Kevin trips the alarm by asking industry participants to carefully consider fresh prospectives. Social workers, regulators, program managers, corporate executives, and even the general public will find common ground within the content of this work. This book lets you: speak the language of corporate executives; raise shareholder value through charitable giving; reduce operating expenses through community-based outsourcing; spur targeted growth within your service territory; and, realize success by funding for your initiatives For the low-income U.S. population, the continuing escalation of utility expense exacerbates financial distress and challenges the quality of utility revenues. But research has shown that the poor, in spite of having energy burdens four times that of the average residential household, exhibit no worse credit behavior than any other customer class. People with low incomes often sacrifice food, medicine, and health just to maintain utility service. Working multiple low-paying jobs or living on a fixed retirement income, these individuals are still found helping others in the community. The deadbeat personas assigned to these customers are unfounded. In fact, the low-income represent a valuable market segment within utility service territory.

Forty-seven million individuals live near poverty, occupying 35 million households. Together, these households represent 28% of the $159 billion U.S. home energy market. Poverty and the Public Utility will show how utilities focused on serving the low-income population could do so effectively and profitably.

Content: Realities of the Utility Marketplace Evolution of Low-Income Programs Building a Business Case for Low-Income Utility Programs Household Subsidies Service Affordability Programs Market Transformation Programs Community Development Initiatives Assessing Your Situation From Concept to Reality Designing Your Program Putting It All Together. The low-income population represents a market segment within the utility service territory. 47 million individuals live near poverty, occupying over 35 million households. Together, these households represent 28 per cent of the $159 billion US home energy market. This book illuminates the interaction between poverty and the public utility.