Crystal McDonald

For the past three years, my family and I have been living without electricity after a fire destroyed our home. Our utility company refused to restore service unless I paid for a costly upgrade, demanding that I replace a 70-year-old unsafe transformer. They have chosen to avoid responsibility for their aging equipment, which likely contributed to the fire, and instead placed the burden on us during the most difficult time of our lives. Living without this essential resource has been devastating—financially, physically, and emotionally. My daughter transitioned from middle school to high school without grid power, and every day we have had to run a generator and purchase fuel just to get by. The toll this has taken on our family is hard to put into words. The utility company has tried to call this 'new construction' to avoid restoring our service, even though they should have treated it as a restoration after the fire. Their actions have left us struggling for years, hoping for a fair resolution. I have filed a formal complaint against the company, and your support will help me obtain legal representation and participate meaningfully in the upcoming hearing. I want to hold them accountable for their actions and ensure no other family has to go through what we have. Any help you can give means the world to us. Thank you for standing with my family and helping us fight for justice and the restoration of our home.