In Boydton, Virginia, one farmhouse was electrified in the most limited way possible: with a single light bulb.
The monthly cost stayed modest, but the household's daily routine was still hard.
Per The Conversation, what looks like a cheap energy bill can actually reflect a home that lacks the power needed for safe, comfortable living.
Here's what to know
In the late 1940s, a rural electric cooperative connected the home of the author's grandmother, Mag, though the service extended only to one light bulb on the first floor. The family still carried water from a stream, purchased ice for the icebox, and relied on a woodstove for cooking. They were unable to afford the larger electrical line required to pump water until 1986.
The essay argues that utilities often treat lower consumption as the main solution to high energy costs. As one local utility website cited in the piece put it, 52% of home energy use goes to heating and cooling, but the guidance focused on using less power rather than lowering energy costs or ensuring families have enough to live safely.
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More background
The essay pairs that history with a 2022 example from a rental in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where a family with a newborn had heat but no air conditioning. During hot weather, the thermostat climbed above 83 degrees, and the baby developed a heat rash before the landlords bought a window unit on credit.
Because the household kept paying its bills on time, it likely would not have shown up on a utility's list of customers struggling with energy costs. But the conditions in the apartment suggest that affordability measures based mainly on payment history can miss severe hardship and slow efforts to create safer, healthier housing.
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Another example in the essay is a woman the author calls Hannah, who experienced the same kind of hidden problem in winter. Her thermostat was set to 65 degrees, yet the upstairs of her home usually stayed around 62. After she turned the heat down before a trip to save money, frozen pipes burst, and she had to stay somewhere else. Stories like hers show that energy burden formulas, including the commonly used 6% benchmark, do not always indicate whether people can afford enough energy to stay safe.
What can be done?
Reducing energy use is only one piece of energy affordability. Utilities, landlords, and policymakers can also help by expanding weatherization, replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems, and monitoring whether homes can actually maintain safe indoor temperatures.
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A smaller monthly bill alone is not the standard for true affordability; people need enough energy for health, comfort, and dignity.
As Mag put it, "Them buckets were heavy."
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