At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia, like other states, implemented protections against utility shut-offs to help the state’s most vulnerable residents. These measures ensured they could continue to use electricity, keep their heating and cooling systems running, and prioritize essentials such as food and medical care. When these ended, many households faced higher bills and outstanding debts, straining budgets for other essential expenses.
PSE Healthy Energy has developed a map highlighting median energy cost burden (in %) across Virginia counties in 2023. Counties with high median energy cost burden percentages spent a larger amount of their income on home energy bills, mainly affecting low-income neighborhoods and areas with high energy costs.