The original 12news story
I have a deep aversion to local TV news, but their interest in my mother’s death and the pattern of heat deaths in Arizona started my efforts to tell my mother’s story.
— Jonathan Korman
82-year-old APS customer died after power was shut off in May 2024
An 82-year-old woman died in May 2024 after her power was cut off on a very hot day. Her son and an advocate say this shows an issue with state policies.
PHOENIX — Jonathan Korman considers himself part of a “fraternity of the grieving,” children of people who died from heat exposure after their electricity was turned off.
“I assumed this was some weird fluke,” Korman said, regarding his mother’s death. “It turns out I am part of a community."
Last year in Maricopa County, 138 people died in heat-related incidents indoors. Most of them had air conditioning that was not functional, according to investigative reports. Thirteen of them died in homes where the electricity service was off.
Jonathan’s mother was one of those thirteen.
“If there’s one thing we can do, in memory of my mother, it is fix this,” Korman said.
Elderly woman fell behind on her APS bills
Kate Korman, 82, of Sun City West, was found dead inside her home on May 19, 2024. A medical examiner’s report states that Korman's utility, APS, turned off her power six days earlier, on May 13.
The report concludes the underlying “cause of death” was complications of chronic alcohol use and the “manner of death” was an accident caused by “exposure to elevated temperatures.” Heart disease is also listed as a contributing factor.
“When my brother and I came out to Arizona because of my mother’s death, we arrived at our house and it was like an oven in there,” Korman said. “Was there something mechanically wrong? No. We figured out it was the power company.”
Korman said he made that realization after he called APS, and learned his mother had been behind about $500 on her bills.
APS says they followed state policies in Korman’s case, and they offer a program that allows relatives of a ratepayer to be informed about their bills. However, Korman said he was not part of the program. He wants Arizona policy to change to protect future shutoffs during hot days.
“How is it possible that there is a switch that someone flips to switch off the power when it is too hot for them to survive? That should be a thing that is not possible to happen,” Korman said.
APS: Korman stopped paying bill after January 2024
APS tells 12News Korman stopped paying her bills after January 2024.
“After then, and in line with established practices and rules regulated by the (Arizona Corporation Commission), we communicated directly to this customer 10 times through email, phone, monthly bill and notifications,” said Jill Hanks of APS by email. Hanks did not specify if or how Korman responded to those efforts.
A neighbor of Korman told 12News she did not know Korman was behind on her power bill. Asked if she knew Korman had financial troubles, the neighbor said Korman mentioned having trouble with her bank in November but did not mention it again.
“I didn’t see her misspending or having a lavish lifestyle. I had no idea,” the neighbor said.
During a hearing at the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2019, a representative of APS told regulators their policy was to leave a notice on the door of the residence before disconnecting power. Hanks did not mention whether APS attempted an in-person visit to Korman’s residence, and did not state whether that is still a policy today. Hanks said APS also made an attempt to contact Korman the day after her power was shut off.
Several days in May 2024 hit 100 degrees
Investigative reports state the temperature outside was 99 degrees on May 13, 2024, and it reached over 100 degrees at least twice over the next week.
APS tells 12News there were 2,208 residential disconnections in May 2024 for non-payment in its service territory, amounting to 0.16% of the 1.4 million customers APS serves.
“Our flexible policies and interactions with customers make it possible for the majority of customers who enter the collections process to avoid disconnection and work to get caught up on their accounts,” Hanks said.
Regulated utilities may not shut off power from June 1 to October 15
Heat activist Stacey Champion discovered details of Korman’s death after reviewing county heat reports. Champion says the case reflects a shortcoming in the state’s utility shut-off rules.
Those rules were refined after Champion exposed the indoor heat death several years ago of another APS customer, Stephanie Pullman. The Arizona Corporation Commission then passed new standards. They prohibit regulated utilities like APS from shutting off power to customers between June 1 and October 15 each year.
Korman’s death shows why heat is dangerous outside that window, Champion said.
“I strongly advocated for temp-based shut-off rules as opposed to date-based, for this very reason,” Champion said.
Champion also pressured state lawmakers to pass legislation that would have prohibited all utilities from shutting off power on days where the temperature hits 95 degrees or above.
“I will continue shouting it from the rooftops. Heat kills and it is killing more people than all other weather events combined,” Champion said.
SRP reported more than 1,600 shut-offs in June 2024
The state’s second-largest utility, SRP, is not regulated by the Corporation Commission and has even looser shut-off rules. Its moratorium for shut-offs is July and August.
Records requested by Champion from SRP show that last year alone, the utility had 1,821 shut-offs in May, 1,687 shut-offs in June, and 877 shut-offs in September.
Those shut-offs were likely brutal for many people, considering that the month of June recorded zero days below 100-degree highs.
SRP tells 12News they have a longstanding practice not to disconnect customers’ power during an Extreme Heat Warning issued by the National Weather Service.
“SRP goes to great lengths to avoid disconnection by calling customers, sending a reminder letter, along with texts and email alerts when a bill is due or has gone past due,” said Jennifer Schuricht of SRP in an email to 12News.
Like APS, SRP also offers a Safety Net program.
County: APS did not tell investigator why power was shut off
A review of heat-related death records shows there are uneven reporting standards.
Between the county, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Medical Examiner’s office, there was conflicting information regarding Korman’s case. One deputy wrote that Korman had no air conditioning unit at all, even though it is visible on top of Korman’s home. A county report also states that when an investigator asked a representative of APS why Korman’s power was turned off, the representative did not have an answer. No one followed up to ensure APS provided an answer.
“I feel like this is a situation in which they should be sure,” Jonathan Korman said. “If you’re going to cut off someone’s electricity, you should be sure why you're doing that, that seems necessary to me.”
APS did not answer a written question from 12News about why the utility allegedly did not explain the reason for the disconnect to the county at the time of the investigation.
Champion said agencies should have a uniform reporting system, such as the CDC’s “Death Scene Investigation Supplement,” to ensure accurate records.
APS and SRP Offer Programs To Assist Vulnerable Residents
Hanks said APS offers two programs for families of elderly and vulnerable ratepayers. The Safety Net program allows others to be informed of bills and create payment arrangements. The Guest Role program goes further and gives designated friends and family members permission to manage a customer’s online APS account.
The utility also offers financial assistance programs for ratepayers struggling to pay their bills.
