The city of Phoenix and Arizona Public Service today launched the first in a series of energy education events at a local mobile home park to help educate Phoenix residents in the 85032 ZIP code area on how to conserve both electricity consumption and water, and to help residents avoid utility disconnects.

“I fully support this worthwhile pilot project,” said Vice Mayor Peggy Neely, District 2. “Energy education can help reduce the utility burden for a household and help electricity users make the most of their energy dollars.”

Rising prices for basic services, such as food, water and energy, affect all Arizonans, but the impact is greatest on low-income families. The lower a family’s income, the higher the percentage of their total available income they must spend for energy.

The loss of electric service, particularly during the summer months, can have serious effects on everyone’s lifestyle and health but particularly on the most vulnerable populations – the elderly, very young and disabled. Ongoing energy assistance efforts will include getting qualified APS customers signed up on the company’s E-3 service plan that offers discounts on energy bills.

Nationally in 2007, the home energy burden contributed to a record number of utility shutoffs, with an estimated 1.2 million households losing energy service due to overdue energy bills from March to May 2007 alone. The city and APS are working to avoid that situation locally.

Arizona, as a warm weather state, receives less than its share of federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding. As a result, federal funding for energy assistance can serve only 7,900 of the estimated 203,800 Phoenix households eligible for these services.