Community Energy Project’s 2026 Policy Priorities
Community Energy Project’s 2026 Policy Priorities
March 13, 2026 Energy Efficiency, Advocacy
Centering Households in Energy Decision-Making
Ensure large energy users pay their share and utilities invest in outcomes that benefit residential customers.
CEP centers household bill impacts in energy decision-making by advancing policies that promote fair, affordable and predictable rates. This means pushing utilities to deliver outcomes that matter most to customers and communities. We are helping establish guidelines that scrutinize utility practices and hold utilities accountable for delivering meaningful outcomes.
This includes supporting policies that mitigate impact through predetermined general rate case schedules that offer bill stability, protect customers during high-use periods, and offer greater transparency.
We are also developing frameworks that safeguard residential customers and prevent cost-shifting of infrastructure, capacity, and system expansion investments incurred by large load users.
Advancing Decarbonization Through Electrification and Efficiency
Leverage policy to expand access to electrification and strengthen energy efficiency.
Households with the highest energy burdens are often shut out from energy-saving programs and access to energy efficient solutions. We are working to increase investments in energy efficiency, weatherization, and whole-home repairs to make energy more affordable and homes safer.
We are also advancing policies to make electrification more accessible. Through legislative and policy campaigns, equitable fuel-switching initiatives, community research, and advocacy for state and local decarbonization measures, we are helping households benefit from cleaner, more affordable, and resilient energy.
Leading the Way on Wildfire Plans
Advance community-informed utility wildfire mitigation plans.
As wildfire risks grow due to climate change, utilities must prioritize the health and safety of the most vulnerable communities in their wildfire mitigation strategies. CEP is advocating for policies that require community-informed mitigation plans, and ensure reliability, affordability and equitable approaches to public safety power shutoffs.
Telling the Stories of Our Communities
Strengthen client and community engagement to demonstrate impact and inform advocacy.
We can’t do this work without input from our clients and community members. CEP engages with clients and community members to identify priorities, barriers, and opportunities related to utility service, affordability, and clean energy access. These community stories and feedback are collected and incorporated into policy development and campaign strategies. CEP also shares our client outcomes with policymakers, regulators, and the public to communicate the impact of equitable policies.
