UNCOVERED: David kolata | History Defined

Utilities must be transparent about secret ‘risk ranking’ of customers

It’s unfair to keep customers in the dark about a process that could literally leave them in the dark.

Chicago Sun-Times · Apr 5, 2023

Secret ‘risk rankings’ unfairly target struggling customers for faster gas, electricity cutoffs, consumer groups say

Utilities use data and algorithms to sort customers and determine how quickly gas and electricity is turned off for non-payment. “We think there’s a strong argument that this process is discriminatory,” one advocate says.

Chicago Sun-Times · Mar 31, 2023

Utility shutoffs for nonpayment soar across Illinois and the Chicago area

Three organizations issue findings that say Illinois has the most disconnections among states that disclose that information. ComEd is part of the report’s ‘Hall of Shame.’

Chicago Sun-Times · Jan 30, 2023