Kristy Hallowell had just lost her job when her energy bill unexpectedly tripled to $1,800 a month.
Unable to pay, her gas and electricity were cut off and she, her two children and her mother spent six months of last year relying on a generator to light and heat their house.
The 44-year-old is one of millions of Americans who have fallen behind on their energy bills as prices have soared over the past year.
The electricity is now back on at her home in Greenwood Lake, New York, after a local non-profit helped reach an agreement with the utility to accept a partial payment.
But the gas is still off and electricity bills keep mounting this winter, leaving her in fear of another shut-off. She said she now had about $3,000 in utility debt.
