With heating season here, shutoffs are climbing, help exists for struggling households, and the Council’s next move remains unclear.
With cold weather on the way, Philadelphia’s debate over gas shutoffs is coming to a head, and households with the least budget room are most exposed. A Philadelphia Tribune investigation reported that Philadelphia Gas Works cut off residential gas service to 29,388 customers from April through August, up from 21,176 in the same five months of 2025, a rise of nearly 39 percent, and the story has put the city-owned utility under fresh scrutiny from affordability advocates and Council members.
The Tribune reported that shutoffs climbed after winter shutoff protections ended March 31, and that unpaid household balances climbed with them, reaching 161.7 million dollars in May, up from 146.9 million in May 2025. By the end of August, PGW had almost reached the prior year’s full April through November total of 29,810 shutoffs. The timing matters, because the same protections that pause shutoffs for qualifying low-income households through the cold months do not apply in the summer, when bills still come due, and arrears build.
The people caught in that gap are, by the Tribune’s account, the Philadelphians least able to absorb a bigger bill. Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke, who launched the city’s Cost of Living Task Force in 2025, told the Tribune that about one in five Philadelphians live in poverty, while nearly half of residents are considered cost-burdened. A task force report cited by the Tribune found that roughly a quarter of low-income households spend nearly 20 percent of their income on energy, leaving less money for food, rent, and health care. Low-income renters, older adults, and people with disabilities were identified as especially vulnerable. O’Rourke put the city’s standing bluntly to the Tribune, saying, “Philadelphia was, until recently, the poorest big city in the country; now it’s second.”
PGW, for its part, is pointing customers toward help rather than disputing the hardship. President and CEO Seth Shapiro said in a statement cited by the Tribune, “We understand how stressful and overwhelming an increased bill can feel. It is important to contact PGW immediately if you are concerned about paying your bill.” The Tribune reported that PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program may lower monthly payments for qualifying households and help erase past-due balances, and that payment plans are also available regardless of income. Customers can ask about the Customer Responsibility Program by calling 215-235-1000.
The calendar adds urgency. Heating costs are projected to rise nearly 9 percent this winter, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. Pennsylvania’s winter shutoff protections return December 1, with WHYY reporting that the moratorium protects qualifying households with incomes at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level. That leaves a narrow window for households already behind to get onto a payment plan or assistance program before the cold sets in. Federal heating help through LIHEAP is also seasonal, and PGW directs customers to pgworks.com/liheap for application details.
What happens next at City Hall is the part Philly Rhino could not confirm. Two online outlets reported that City Council voted October 22 to investigate PGW’s disconnection practices, and that District 4 Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. introduced a shutoff moratorium bill on October 15 with Council President Kenyatta Johnson’s support. Philly Rhino searched Council’s public records and other local coverage and could not confirm either item as of October 28, so this article does not report them as fact. We will update this story when the Council record confirms what, if anything, was introduced or voted on.
For Northeast Philadelphia households, the stakes are the same as anywhere else in the city, because PGW serves the whole city and a gas shutoff in January is a safety issue, not just a billing issue. Anyone behind on a gas bill, or worried about falling behind, should call PGW at 215-235-1000 before a shutoff notice turns into a shutoff. The utility’s own message is to call early, and with heating season approaching, early is now.
