This paper uses monthly zip code-level data on electricity disconnections in Illinois to document the socioeconomic correlates of extreme economic distress among 5 million customers. In 2018–2019, customers in Black and Hispanic zip codes were about 4 times more likely to be disconnected for non-payment, 2–3 times more likely to be on deferred payment plans, and 70% more likely to participate in utility-based low-income assistance programs, controlling for zip code distributions of income and other demographic characteristics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a ninefold expansion in low-income assistance to pay utility bills, but disconnections were double and deferred payment plans triple their historical averages in October 2020. Disconnection notices were served to 2.5% of commercial and industrial accounts, and 3.4% of residential accounts each month in late 2020. About 20% of all accounts were charged late fees. The odds for each of these measures were multiples higher in minority zip codes.

本文使用伊利诺伊州断电的每月邮政编码级数据来记录 500 万客户极端经济困境的社会经济相关性。在 2018-2019 年，黑人和西班牙裔邮政编码的客户因未付款而断开连接的可能性高出约 4 倍，延迟付款计划的可能性高出 2-3 倍，参与基于公用事业的客户的可能性高出 70%低收入援助计划，控制收入和其他人口特征的邮政编码分布。在 COVID-19 大流行期间，用于支付水电费的低收入援助增加了 9 倍，但在 2020 年 10 月，断开连接的次数增加了一倍，延期付款计划是历史平均水平的三倍。 2.5% 的商业和工业部门收到了断开连接通知帐户，和 3。2020 年末，每月有 4% 的住宅账户被收取。所有账户中约有 20% 被收取滞纳金。在少数族裔邮政编码中，这些措施中的每一项的几率都更高。