New Research on Unreliability

Two new publications from members of the Energy Geography Network take on a central—and often overlooked—question within contemporary debates on energy transitions: What does it actually look like, and mean, to have electricity in a dynamic and unreliably electrifying world?

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Montañés, Cristina Crespo, Isha Ray, and Veronica Jacome. "Out of sight, out of mind? How electricity (un) reliability shapes residential energy transitions." Applied Energy 385 (2025): 125497

In Applied Energy, Cristina Crespo Montañés, Isha Ray, and Veronica Jacome explore how concerns about electricity unreliability are shaping residential energy transitions in Northern California. Drawing on interviews with households across the East Bay, and in communities impacted by Pacific Gas & Electric’s Power Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) (see Fig 1), they find that fears of outages (whether from PSPS events, storms, or general grid fragility) are playing a crucial role in how people think about electrification. Even those who haven’t experienced blackouts firsthand described hesitation about switching to electric appliances, worried about losing control over daily life. The paper pushes back against the idea that electrification is simply a matter of policy incentives or economic cost, emphasizing the emotional, social, and trust-based dimensions that shape people’s willingness to rely more on grid services.

Figure from Montañés, Ray, and Jacome in Applied Energy (2025)

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Kersey, Jessica, Civian Kiki Massa, June Lukuyu, Judith Mbabazi, Jay Taneja, Daniel M. Kammen, and Veronica Jacome. "Grid connections and inequitable access to electricity in African cities." Nature Cities (2025): 1-9.

In the second study published in Nature Cities, unreliability is explored in a very different context: informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda. Jessica Kersey, Civian Kiki Massa, June Lukuyu, Judith Mbabazi, Jay Taneja, Daniel Kammen, and Veronica Jacome document how residents in these neighborhoods use grid services through a patchwork of formal and informal “service arrangements” —each offering different degrees of reliability, affordability, safety, and autonomy. The paper argues that prevailing metrics of electricity access fail to capture the complexity of contemporary grid services in African cities, and that meaningful access must be understood through dynamic and uneven experiences on the ground.

Whether in the Bay Area or Kampala, these papers remind us that grid services defy conventional binary characterizations—on/off, outage/non-outage, connected/unconnected. They point to the social and material arrangements through which people continuously (re)negotiate a livable life. Ultimately, these paper force us to confront how energy transitions—whether toward decarbonization or basic access—depend not only on expanding supply or upgrading infrastructure, but on acknowledging how people navigate risk, uncertainty, and uneven forms of inclusion within an increasingly electric world.

Central PA “Energy Summit”

The First Ever “Energy Summit” in Central, Pennsylvania: bridging the energy knowledge gaps between researchers and community outreach programs

Picture by Mina Schneck

On July 27, 2024, E-G Network researchers, in collaboration with our community partner, Central Susquehanna Opportunities (CSO), hosted the inaugural Energy Summit at Commonwealth University - Bloomsburg. CSO, a Northumberland County-based social services nonprofit, operates as a “community action agency,” leaning on a vast network of caseworkers and programs to address county-specific challenges. The summit featured a diverse panel, including representatives from PPL Electric Utilities, the Pennsylvania Office of the Consumer Advocate, the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project, Geisinger Health, CSO, and Temple University. It provided an open forum for attendees to build connections and share their experiences with energy and utility challenges.

The room buzzed with quiet excitement as participants from various sectors of social services filtered in during the morning networking session. Some sat with familiar colleagues, while others bonded with new acquaintances. Despite different backgrounds, they all shared a common experience: as social workers, community center directors, or medical professionals, they had all mediated utility issues on behalf of their clients. The summit gave them a unique opportunity to engage directly with a senior PPL customer representative, removing the usual barrier of anonymity found in customer service interactions, and to discuss the personal nuances of their experiences.

A central theme of the summit was the basic yet vital role of utilities in providing comfort—whether through warmth, light, or food preservation—and the pervasive challenge many attendees faced in ensuring their clients could access these essentials. The demand for utility assistance far outweighs available resources, and many vulnerable populations are forced to find creative, sometimes unconventional, ways to cope. One attendee described how clients sent their children to neighbors’ homes with pools during heatwaves, while others spoke of families devising strategic "battle plans" to decide when to use supplemental resources like space heaters or fans, in order to delay shut-offs or ration limited funds. These stories highlighted the ingenuity and resilience required to navigate the energy landscape amidst growing resource shortages.

The summit also highlighted the often-overlooked complexities of deliverable fuels—such as propane, diesel, heating oil, coal, and wood—which power many homes across Pennsylvania but present unique challenges for low-income households. Unlike electricity or natural gas, these fuels are typically unregulated by the Public Utility Commission, purchased on an "as-needed" basis, and require a minimum purchase amount. This leaves households that can't afford the upfront costs particularly vulnerable to fuel shortages during extreme weather events. While these fuels are sometimes perceived as less common, they are essential for many Pennsylvanians, especially in rural and under-resourced areas.

The map below (Figure 1) illustrates our central, PA study area and CSO's service region, highlighting the percentage of households that rely on “uncommon fuels,” as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. This includes households using oil, coal, wood, or other non-standard fuel types. The geographic boundaries, organized by Census Tract, are shaded in increasing red saturation to indicate higher percentages of deliverable fuel users. Several notable patterns emerge from the data:

Figure 1: Percent of households using “uncommon” or deliverable fuels by census tract. 

(1) A cluster of three census tracts in southern Lycoming County where 72 to 100% of residents report using deliverable fuels. The surrounding tracts also have a significant reliance on these fuels.

(2) In the southern areas of Mifflin, Snyder, and Northumberland counties, 61 to 72% of residents depend on deliverable fuels to meet their energy needs.

(3) In Mifflin County, in particular, at least 50% of residents in every census tract use deliverable fuels, underscoring the widespread reliance on these energy sources in this part of the state.

By combining utility data with CSO’s in-depth local knowledge—gathered from extensive outreach and caseworker interviews—we can better understand energy geographies from a programming standpoint. CSO’s unique insight helps reveal gaps in resources and services, which might not be immediately visible through data alone. Their work is also guided by a Community Needs Assessment, conducted every three years, which tracks shifting needs and identifies programs that are still relevant, those that need expansion, and new programs that should be developed.

Understanding Energy Burdens In Rural Communities

Figure 2 illustrates Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) by Census Tract, showing the average energy burden as a percentage of household income in central Pennsylvania. Energy burden refers to the portion of income spent on energy costs, calculated by dividing the average housing energy cost (from the Census Bureau’s ACS) by household income. While the Department of Energy considers a 6% energy burden as “high,” this threshold can miss key local differences, including the fact that different fuel types, common in our study area, dramatically affect energy consumption costs and patterns.

Figure 2: The LEAD’s average household energy burden by census tract, with a focus on central PA. 

For households relying on deliverable fuels—like propane, diesel, heating oil, coal, or wood—their energy expenses are often higher and more variable compared to those using electricity or natural gas. These fuels, purchased on an "as-needed" basis with a minimum required amount, can create unpredictable financial strain, especially for low-income households. Recognizing this, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has set a different threshold—2% of income for non-electric heating sources like deliverable fuels—as the marker for a “high burden” in these cases.

In rural Pennsylvania, community is more than just a place—it’s a lifeline. For many, their connections with social service providers form the backbone of that community, offering support and solidarity in times of need. Our project seeks to strengthen these ties by bridging the gap between social agencies, utilities, and the clients they serve, creating a deeper understanding of energy burdens and their far-reaching impacts. By combining data analysis with the lived experiences gathered from the community, we can better identify the unique challenges faced by under-resourced households and refine social service programming to meet those needs. Through our continued partnership with CSO and future energy summits, we aim to further explore these energyscapes, providing a platform for rural communities to share their stories and shaping solutions that make a difference.