FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2024
Contact:
Carolina Chacon | carolina@chaconconsulting.com | 702-810-7155
Chispa Nevada Brought A Bus With 40+ Consumers to the Consumer Session
LAS VEGAS — This evening, dozens of families showed up at the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada’s (PUCN) annual General Consumer Session to demand affordable, predictable bills and reliable clean energy that won’t pollute the air we breathe. At least 44 Latine community members and their children arrived by a bus rented by Chispa to make it easier for consumers to make their voices heard at the PUCN’s Southwest Las Vegas offices.
Consumers shared personal stories of how increases in monthly electricity and gas bills have affected their lives, from sacrificing food, clothing or medicine to pay utility bills to anxiety over future rate hikes. Consumers called for the PUCN to reject corporate utilities’ greed, which is enriching their shareholders at the expense of everyday Nevadans already struggling with a higher cost of living. Many also expressed their concerns about NV Energy proposing yet another gas plant, the third in two years, that would increase pollution, worsen air quality and harm public health. Instead, consumers urged the PUCN to force corporate utilities to invest in clean energy like solar.
Here are some of the Nevadans who spoke at the Consumer Session:
“In the past few months, I’ve received electric bills that exceed $1,000, even though we make reasonable use of the services,” said Ana Gonzalez. “My children ask me if we can buy them shoes or clothes for school, and I have to tell them that we have to pay for basic utilities first. It is not fair that we have to choose between covering the basic needs of our children or paying for electricity and gas. I ask you to consider a solution that includes financial assistance for families who, like mine, can no longer bear this burden.”
“The high prices of services have meant that I have to reduce the portions of food I can put on the table,” said Jacqueline Banderas. “It’s heartbreaking when my kids ask me for more food and I can’t give it to them. Sometimes, I have no choice but to turn to churches that offer food assistance so that my children can eat enough. I strongly urge that this commission consider the devastating impact these increases have on families like mine, and that they not allow for any more rate increases.”
“We are a family on a fixed income due to our disabilities; in my case, because I have been declared legally blind,” said Yanci Hill. “I call on this Commission not to authorize any further increases in electricity and gas tariffs, as these increases are putting unsustainable pressure on families with limited incomes like ours.”
“For some time now, the increases in rates have begun to generate intense anxiety in me, especially at night, which prevents me from resting properly,” said Dulce Guzman. “This is not only affecting me psychologically, but also physically, since the lack of rest is altering my body and general well-being. I feel unprotected by regulators and those that are supposedly in charge of ensuring the rights of consumers. I cannot help but feel that the institutions in power are not providing the necessary support to protect consumers from this escalation of costs.”
“The effort to assume the increasing costs forces us to look for multiple jobs, exhausting ourselves physically and emotionally, and even then we are unable to cover our basic needs,” said Giovanny Sanchez. “This situation also aggravates the already precarious economy of our households and erodes the social fabric, forcing families to live in constant stress and worry. It is our joint responsibility to seek solutions that benefit both families’ finances and the environment, and I am confident that your intervention can make a significant difference for our community.”
Here are some of the Nevadans who submitted letters to the PUCN:
“I work as a massage therapist at a clinic here in Nevada, and every time there is an increase in rates, I see my work hours at the clinic reduced,” said Cristina Ciobanu. “Every month my salary is lower. And in the meantime, we are in a state full of natural resources, such as the sun, that could be harnessed to reduce electricity costs and benefit everyone. It’s time for Nevada Energy to put corporate interests aside and focus on the well-being of our communities.”
“I work in construction and I’m a mechanic, both jobs require me to be exposed to extremely high temperatures,” said Gerardo Vazquez. “A few months ago I had a serious complication that left me with medical bills that were difficult to bear. Despite my daily effort to care for my family, the combination of medical bills and high energy costs have made it nearly impossible to provide for them the way they deserve. As a member of this community, I call for these increases to stop.”
“With each increase, the fear of not being able to pay my rent grows,” said Leovy Ruiz. “I live with the constant anxiety that the increases will not stop, and that at any moment I will be forced to make decisions that put my stability and well-being at risk. It’s time to prioritize a clean and sustainable future for all Nevada families, a future where we don’t have to fear upcoming rate increases, but can live in safety and dignity.”
“My husband and I are completely dependent on our pensions, which barely cover our basic expenses,” said Maria Prentice. “Every time we see a new increase in rates, we are overcome with deep concern, because we simply do not know how long we will be able to bear this economic burden. Just a few months ago, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. Medical bills, treatments, and necessary care are already a huge challenge, and every dollar counts. How will we be able to cope with a new increase in electricity and gas costs, when we are already at the limit? We don’t want any more raises. We can’t take it anymore. We deserve to live our last years with dignity, without the anguish of not knowing how we will pay the next bill.”
Chispa Nevada will continue working with Latine families to demand accountability from corporate utilities, more transparency in utility planning and prioritizing, and a swift transition to fuels that won’t pollute our environment and endanger our children’s health or futures.
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Chispa Nevada is a program of the League of Conservation Voters that builds the power of Latine communities to fight for climate justice.