Phoenix Council Approves Energy Access Plan to Reduce Household Energy Burden by 25% by 2030

Phoenix — The Phoenix City Council voted unanimously on Dec. 9 to adopt an Energy Access Plan designed to reduce household energy burden by increasing participation in low-income energy programs by 25% by 2030, city staff said.

The plan, introduced by Chief Sustainability Officer Carla de la Chapa and city energy manager Dr. Carlos Aguilar Hernandez, aims to add more than 18,000 households to existing programs (on top of about 72,000 currently enrolled). City officials said roughly 14% of Phoenix households — more than 82,000 homes — now spend more than 6% of their monthly income on energy, a commonly used threshold for “high energy burden.”

"This plan was created to enhance safety and comfort for residents in response to extreme heat," Carla de la Chapa said during the council presentation, outlining six actions across three focus areas: investment and funding to expand weatherization; community-driven outreach and multilingual energy education; and policy and consumer-protection efforts to improve solar access for low-income households.

Why it matters

Council and staff framed the plan as part of the city’s broader climate action framework and a response to the local impacts of extreme heat. Presenters said reduced energy burden can improve…