The Energy Access Plan (EAP) addresses energy affordability, energy poverty, and energy burden, focusing on community-driven solutions to create a more sustainable and equitable future.
Energy Access Plan
The City of Phoenix is committed to ensuring all residents have access to reliable, renewable, and affordable energy.
What is Energy Affordability?
Energy affordability means making sure everyone can easily and affordably access the energy they need for daily activities like cooking, cooling, and heating their homes.
Understanding Energy Poverty & Energy Burden
- Energy poverty occurs when households can’t afford essential energy needs.
- Energy burden measures the percentage of income spent on energy bills—anything above 6% is considered high, and over 10% is severe.
In Phoenix, rising temperatures and increasing nighttime heat make energy access critical. Many low-income families delay using air conditioning, leading to serious health risks. In 2023, most indoor heat-related deaths in Maricopa County occurred in homes where the AC was broken or unused.
The following maps show the percentage of low-income households that are experiencing high (yellow) and severe (blue) energy burden in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Graphic explaining high energy burden being when electricity and gas bills are more than 6 percent of household income.
How Phoenix is Taking Action
The City is developing the Energy Access Plan (EAP) to reduce energy poverty by:
- Setting an energy equity goal by late 2024
- Hosting webinars to gather community input
- Launching workshops in 2025 to finalize solutions and track progress
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (2020). Low-Income Energy Affordability Data - LEAD Tool - 2018 Update [data set].
Join the Conversation!
Community voices are essential in shaping the EAP. Residents can:
- Attend upcoming workshops
- Watch past event recordings and presentations
- Stay updated by emailing energy@phoenix.gov