PROVIDENCE (AP) – The number of Rhode Island households that have had their gas or electricity shut off has already reached an all-time high this year.

The state’s utilities turned off electricity and natural gas service to nearly 30,000 customers through the first ten months of this year.

That’s 18 percent more than in all of last year and the highest number since the state began tracking shutoffs a decade ago.

Advocates for the state’s low-income residents predict that things will get worse this winter because of the high price of heating oil.

Many of those who have their utilities shut off don’t immediately get it turned back on.

National Grid says there were more than 4,500 customers whose service was turned off for nonpayment this year and were still without heat or electricity at the end of October.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.projo.com/

AP-ES-11-17-07 2145EST