Our Mission
Winning a Percentage Income Payment Plan will relieve low-income households from current, regressive rate structures. A PIPP would take income into account and create a just transition to affordable fossil free energy.
What is a PIPP?
PIPP stands for Percentage of Income Payment Plan. Recognizing that utility service is a basic need and an essential element of adequate housing, PIPP programs help make sure all have access to affordable utility service. Under a PIPP, low-income households pay a fixed percentage of their income for utility bills. This percentage depends on the Federal Poverty Level of that household — those with the highest Federal Poverty Level pay the smallest percentage of their income for utility bills.
Recent News
Currently, Rhode Islanders living under the Federal Poverty line routinely spend about 44 percent of their income on utilities. This October, a 47% increase in electricity bills proposed by Rhode Island Energy was approved for the coming winter. While storm-related temporary power outages make the news, each year over 20,000 RI households are put through the trauma of utility termination due to unaffordable bills. Many go weeks or months without access to basic needs. A PIPP plan would allow people with the lowest incomes to pay a more manageable amount for their utilities and help stop the shut-off crisis in Rhode Island.
Help Pass PIPP
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Fill out this PIPP Petition
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Quotes
“When I was a child my single mother had trouble paying our electric bill on a regular basis and every time electricity got shut off it was traumatizing.”
Samson Hampton, Providence
Our Partners
Nature's Trust Rhode Island