Yahoo! News :: U.S. National

AP Enterprise: In bad economy, power cutoffs soar (AP)

<p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081006/ap_on_re_us/utility_shut_offs"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20081006/capt.30ed9a61c6ed4077b03ad852f2ccbd90.utility_shut_offs_nymg202.jpg?x=130&y=107&q=85&sig=vr96F8yIE_1u1WlffM21Ag--" align="left" height="107" width="130" alt="Marie Williams, right, helps her daughter Richelle with homework at their home in Cohoes, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. Williams' power was cut off this summer for about a week, forcing her girls to do homework by candlelight. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)" border="0" /></a>AP - The number of Americans whose electricity or gas has been shut off for nonpayment of their bills is up sharply in many parts of the country as people struggle to cope with higher prices and a shaky economy.</p><br clear="all"/>