Rhode Island Energy disconnected service to nearly 18,000 residential customers for unpaid bills between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2026 — a 109% increase over the 8,556 disconnections reported for the same period in 2025, according to monthly filings with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. The increase comes as residents report struggling to keep up with utility costs. RI Energy said the end of pandemic-era payment plans contributed to the rise: those temporary programs let some customers stay connected while overdue balances accumulated, the company said. Customers with large past-due bills are now having more difficulty catching up. In Warwick, Christopher and Jean Marie Ishmael said their electricity was shut off after they missed a payment on a repayment plan. Christopher said summer air-conditioning use drove up their electric bill, and that he told the company he could not afford the bill alongside medical expenses. Jean Marie Ishmael said shutoffs can pose serious risks for people with disabilities or health conditions who depend on electricity. She said the consequences extend beyond losing refrigerated food. Lydia Peoples, an organizer at the George Wiley Center in Pawtucket, said the organization has fielded more requests for help over the past six months. She called for better communication between the utility and its customers, describing people spending pension income to keep up with bills. RI Energy said it has expanded or introduced assistance options, including doubling its contribution to the Good Neighbor Energy Fund, creating an employee-funded program called Operation Help, and enhancing its Low Income Discount Rate Program beginning this winter. The company said unpaid balances ultimately affect other customers, while emphasizing its responsibility to connect people with assistance. The number of reported shutoffs underscores how quickly an unpaid utility balance can become a loss of essential service. The figures were filed with state regulators; the filings cover residential electric and gas accounts.