CLIMATE ONE ENCORE - Dead Heat: The Danger Of Home Power Shutoffs

CLIMATE ONE ENCORE - Dead Heat: The Danger Of Home Power Shutoffs

Author: Commonwealth Club of California July 3, 2026 Duration: 58:41
Summer is here, temperatures are rising — and so are electric bills. That also means many people are facing a severely overlooked issue: power shutoffs. According to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2024 utility companies disconnected U.S. households from electricity more than 13.4 million times due to a customer’s inability to pay. When that happens, people can’t turn on their lights, keep food refrigerated, or cool down the home. And regulations preventing shutoffs during extreme heat events are woefully inadequate.  But when utilities help pay the upfront costs of efficiency upgrades, the customers and utilities can both save energy — and money. How do we protect the most vulnerable people from the dangers of home power shutoffs?  Guests: Jean Su, Energy Justice Director, Center for Biological Diversity  Sanya Carley, Co-Director, Energy Justice Lab, University of Pennsylvania Tamara Jones, Co-Executive Director, Clean Energy Works Highlights: 00:00 Introduction     4:15 Jean Su on topline takeaways from nationwide data 10:04 Jean Su on why utilities don’t cover the cost of non-payment  12:55 Jean Su on polices to prevent shutoffs 16:16 Jean Su on the reality of underreported shutoffs  22:17 Sanya Carley on what happens to a household when a shutoff occurs 25:15 Sanya Carley on seeking help after a shutoff 27:44 Sanya Carley on federal impact on shutoffs 29:56 Sanya Carley on what state legislatures can do  35:25 Tamara Jones on working for justice 38:09 Tamara Jones on who is impacted by energy injustice 46:14 Tamara Jones on examples of where policy gets it right 50:56 Tamara Jones on what work needs to be done in policy and regulation For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit our ⁠episode page⁠ at climateone.org *** Join Climate One for an induction cooking demonstration night on July 21, at 6 p.m. at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. Come enjoy delicious food and wine, and learn about why cooking with magnets beats cooking with gas. Tickets available at ⁠climateone.org/events⁠  *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠Patreon⁠, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. ⁠Sign up today⁠. *** Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For nearly a century, the Commonwealth Club of California Podcast has served as a vital platform for civic dialogue, directly from the nation's largest public affairs forum. Each episode captures live, thoughtful conversations with leading voices from across the political spectrum and various fields, all committed to exploring the most pressing issues of our time. As a nonpartisan and nonprofit operation, the Club’s priority is substance over soundbite, fostering a depth of discussion that is increasingly rare. You’ll hear authors, policymakers, scientists, and cultural figures engage in nuanced debates and detailed analyses, reflecting a genuine diversity of perspectives. This isn't just a recording of events; it's an ongoing, accessible chronicle of American and global thought. The audio you find in this podcast feed originates from the longest-running weekly radio broadcast of its kind in the United States, a tradition started in 1924, now shared with a modern audience. Updated frequently throughout the week, the feed ensures you have direct access to a forum where complex ideas about government, society, and current events are given the time and respect they deserve. Tune in for a consistently enlightening experience that challenges assumptions and provides context far beyond the daily headlines.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Commonwealth Club of California Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Simone Stolzoff: How to Not Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:19
Famously or infamously, in 2002 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters that “[A]s we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know…
Humanities West Presents The Etruscans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:12:35
The Etruscan culture, which flourished from the ninth to the first centuries B.C. in Tuscany, left behind a rich history with many unique traditions that are reflected in the artistic objects found in their tombs, temple…
CLIMATE ONE: Beyond the Rights of Nature: Land that Owns Itself [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:14
The “⁠rights of nature⁠” is the idea that if a corporation can have legal standing as a person, why can’t a river or a mountain? Thomas Linzey, one of the early architects of a legal framework for granting rights to natu…
CLIMATE ONE:  When Your New Neighbor Is… a Data Center [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:10
Across the country, developers are racing to build huge new buildings to house computers to fuel the AI boom, creating an explosive demand for new energy. While some hyperscalers seek renewable energy, others are turning…
Theo Baker: Uncovering Power and Money at Stanford University [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:14
While just a freshman reporter at The Stanford Daily, Theo Baker reported on accusations about Stanford’s president that culminated in his resignation. For his investigative reporting, he became the youngest ever recipie…
Contested Continent: The Struggle for North America, c. 1000–1680 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:32
North America was forged from the experiences of millions of Indigenous women and men as well as Europeans and Africans. Contested Continent, the first volume of the Oxford History of the United States series, is a far-r…