Momand learned only two days later that it was a nationwide blackout. Momand and his family have lost approximately 350,000 Afghanis (around $5,340 USD) — one of their worst losses in more than a decade.

With the winter chills likely to intensify and spike energy bills, equitable access to clean energy upgrades is more urgent than ever, especially for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, who were deprioritized under the Trump administration and remain underserved.