Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Virginia legislators must take utility shutoff protections seriously this winter
Virginia is one of only seven states that doesn’t protect residents from getting their power or water shut off over unpaid bills during extreme weather. State legislators aim to change that in the 2023 General Assembly session.
Guest blog: Electric co-ops need to remember the importance of affordability for their members
Blue Ridge Energy has a co-op principle on their website that states, “Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions.” I don’t know about you, but I have never been asked to help set policy or make decisions regarding my energy that I am paying for.
Creating community-informed economies in the coalfields
The listening session process raises the exciting possibility of building new communal systems that support the workforce and create equitable opportunities for Southwest Virginians.
For Appalachian communities, the 117th Congress brought significant victories, but work remains
As the new Congress begins, we at Appalachian Voices are taking stock of the many victories achieved in the 117th Congress that just came to a close.
Power outages and rolling blackouts hit Appalachia and the Southeast during winter storm
During this weekend’s unusually low temperatures, people whose power is produced by the Tennessee Valley Authority and Duke Energy have experienced coordinated, rolling electricity blackouts to reduce electricity demand and prevent major grid outages that could take days or weeks to restore.
