Energy Poverty — G.K.’s story

G.K. and his family live just south of Shelburne in a century home. Heat is provided by
an oil furnace, so heating is relatively cheap at the moment. Heat isn’t the main concern for them. Keeping the lights on — is.  Buying food  — is.  Buying gas to get to work — is.

Their hydro bill each month is the second largest bill after the mortgage payment.

“It’s on your mind constantly,” said G.  “When you’re grocery shopping, in the back of your mind you’re asking yourself if you can really afford the brand name soup or should you get the generic No Name kind, because the hydro bill is due at the end of the week and if you don’t pay it within 2 weeks of the date of the bill, you get a disconnection notice.”

“Your prescription needs to be refilled, but there’s that hydro bill and there’s no…