This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.volts.wtf/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.volts.wtf/subscribe</a><br/><br/><p>As affluent homeowners defect to heat pumps, the massive costs of maintaining America’s aging gas pipelines are being concentrated onto a shrinking base of customers who can afford it least. To understand how to prevent an impending utility death spiral, I talk with the Building Decarbonization Coalition’s Kristin George Bagdanov and Panama Bartholomy. We discuss the legal limits of a utility’s “obligation to serve,” the potential for gas companies to transition into geothermal thermal energy networks, and why the US has suddenly become the global leader in heat pump sales.</p>