PAWTUCKET, RI – On Monday, April 20th from 5:30-6:30PM the George Wiley Center is hosting national energy policy expert Dr. Diana Hernández for a book signing. Dr. Diana Hernández researched and is the lead author of the first major book on energy insecurity in the United States, Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy (Russell Sage Foundation, 2025): https://www.russellsage.org/publications/book/powerless
In Powerless, sociologists Dr. Hernández and Jennifer Laird reveal the hardship of “energy insecurity” – the inability to adequately meet household energy needs. Dr. Hernández suggests redesigning rates to accommodate income, promoting enrollment and expansion of discount programs, reforming utility disconnection policies, improving energy literacy, and ensuring an equitable shift to renewable energy resources.
Rhode Island legislative advocates will present utility policy proposals during a press briefing. The program is open to the public and will run for 1 hour, and will be followed by the book signing.
Camilo Viveiros, Executive Director of the George Wiley Center, said, “Despite all the rhetoric about affordability, the cost of utilities has only gone up! We are pushing for clear, common-sense policies that will give utility consumers needed relief. As utility consumers face the end of the Moratorium on Utility Shut Offs on May 1st, the George Wiley Center is organizing with legislative leaders to urge the passage of protections and rate restructuring.”
Learn about:
– Percentage Income Payment Plan (PIPP): Senate Bill No. S 2248: House Bill No. 7880 PIPP would restructure rates to lower utility costs. Passing a Percentage Income Payment Plan is an effective approach that would cap utility (electric and gas) costs at a total of 6% of income for low-income Rhode Islanders.
During the event the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) brief will be highlighted. The ACEEE report focuses on the importance of passing a PIPP in Rhode Island. See ACEEE’s blog post on the need for Rhode Island to implement PIPP.
– Serious Illness Protection Plan: SIPP: Senate Bill No. S 2013: House Bill No. 7612
“It is important to protect vulnerable utility consumers with medical conditions; that is why we need to strengthen the Serious Illness Protection Plans in Rhode Island.”Terminating utility services for people with medical conditions jeopardizes the public health of our families and neighbors. We need to strengthen serious illness protections to allow medical professionals to determine the length of those protections.” Camilo Viveiros, George Wiley Center
“In a wealthy country like ours, it’s unconscionable that anyone facing serious illness should have their utility service terminated in their time of need. We can and must do better”. Rhode Island State Senator Meghan Kallman, co-sponsor of the bill to strengthen protections for medically vulnerable consumers
This bill to Strengthen Serious Illness Protections used the National Consumer Law Center’s report on “Protecting Seriously Ill Consumers from Utility Disconnections: What States Can Do to Save Lives Now” to incorporate essential reforms needed in Rhode Island: https://www.nclc.org/resources/report-protecting-seriously-ill-consumers-from-utility-disconnections-what-states-can-do-to-save-lives-now/
“Medically vulnerable Rhode Islanders deserve the same protections that our neighbors in CT, NH and MA currently have. This bill would strengthen our protections by incorporating current protections in other New England states.” Camilo Viveiros, Director, George Wiley Center
About the Author
DIANA HERNÁNDEZ is an associate professor of sociomedical sciences, Columbia University.
JENNIFER LAIRD is an assistant professor in the department of sociology, Lehman College.
“Now is the time to pass the Percentage Income Payment Plan and a bill to Strengthen Serious Illness Protections. We urge that these bills be moved to the floor for passage of these essential programs and protections to stop predatory and dangerous utility terminations.” RI State Representative Cherie Cruz, MA, CLC, CPRS, CPST
“As long as these utility reforms are not passed, utility consumers won’t gain the needed relief. We are advocating for PIPP and SIPP to save utility consumers money and keep more people safe from utility shut-offs.” RI State Representative Jennifer Stewart.
About the Author
DIANA HERNÁNDEZ is an associate professor of sociomedical sciences, Columbia University.
JENNIFER LAIRD is an assistant professor in the department of sociology, Lehman College.