Woman’s death forces power companies to change cut-off policy

PHOENIX (AP):

Stephanie Pullman died on a sweltering Arizona day after her electricity was cut off because of a US$51 debt.

Five years later, the 72-year-old’s story remains at the heart of efforts to prevent others in Arizona from having their power cut off, leaving them without life-saving air conditioning in temperatures that have topped 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) on every day this month.

“Stephanie Pullman was the face of the fight that helped put the disconnect rules in place for the big, regulated utilities in Arizona,” said Stacey Champion, an advocate who pushed for new regulations. “But we need more.”

Arizona Public Service, known as APS, disconnected Pullman’s power in September 2018 at a time when outside temperatures in her retirement community west of Phoenix reached 107 degrees Fahrenheit (41.6 Celsius). Just days before, a US$125 payment was made towards Pullman’s past-due bill of $176.

Her body was found inside her home during a subsequent wellness check.

The medical examiner’s office said Pullman died from “environmental heat exposure” combined with cardiovascular disease after the shutoff.

Details about Pullman’s life are sketchy because her family cannot discuss the case under a private legal settlement with APS.

“I can’t talk,” Pullman’s son, Tim Pullman, said when reached by telephone in Ohio.

Champion said the family also suddenly stopped talking to her after the 2019 settlement.

APS didn’t address the settlement when contacted last week but said in a statement that it “is here to help customers, and we are making sure they stay connected during the summer months”.

Pullman’s death prompted Champion and others to demand new rules to prevent shutoffs. The case raised awareness about extreme heat dangers, and it did spark change.

“People are now more cognisant that low-income people can lose the power in their home at any time,” said Phoenix attorney Tom Ryan, a consumer advocate familiar with the Pullman case. “Couldn’t someone have spared her the US$51?”

In 2019, the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates most of the state’s utilities, issued a moratorium on summertime shutoffs by APS and other power companies it oversees.

Last year, the commission permanently banned electricity cutoffs during the hottest months.

Electric utilities can choose to pause disconnections from June 1 through October 15 or pause them on days forecasted to be above 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 Celsius) or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 Celsius). APS; Tucson Electric Power, which serves Arizona’s second-largest city; and UniSource, which provides power in Mohave and Santa Cruz counties, chose the date-based option.

“There will be no disconnections for past due residential accounts through mid-October,” with late fees waived during that period, APS confirmed. “We urge customers who are struggling with overdue bills to contact us so we can work with them to get their account in good standing and try to keep balances from continuing to build.”