Attachment B - Energy Access Plan Draft English.pdf

City of Phoenix — City Council Policy Session (2025-12-09)

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ATTACHMENT B
City of Phoenix
2025 Energy Access Plan
An Action Plan for Energy Affordability
DRAFT
FOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
12/09/2025

Table of Contents
Letter from the Mayor ........................................................................................................................ 3
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Stakeholder Engagement ..................................................................................................................... 8
Combining Community Expertise with Partner Expertise ................................................................... 9
Energy Access Target ........................................................................................................................ 10
Energy Access Actions ....................................................................................................................... 10
Investment & Securing Additional Funding / City-Led Programs ............................................................. 11
Community and Stakeholder Collaboration ........................................................................................ 11
Policies & Regulation ...................................................................................................................... 13
Energy Access Assessment ................................................................................................................ 13
Affordable Energy ......................................................................................................................... 14
Secure and Sustainable Energy ..................................................................................................... 14
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 16
References ..................................................................................................................................... 18
Appendix ........................................................................................................................................ 20
Energy Access Plan Implementation Table ..................................................................................... 20
Key Performance Indicators Table ................................................................................................. 21

Letter from the Mayor

Phoenix residents have long understood what it means to live with resilience. Here in the heart of the
Sonoran Desert, we know the challenges of extreme heat and the importance of access to affordable,
reliable energy. As communities across the country grapple with rapidly evolving industries and
increasing energy demands, Phoenix is committed to leading with innovation and equity to protect our
communities and prepare for a sustainable future.
The Energy Access Plan reflects this commitment. Built with input from residents, utilities, and
community partners, the plan outlines clear actions to reduce energy burden for households, especially
for low-income families disproportionately affected by rising energy costs. This is not just a financial
challenge; it is a public health and quality-of-life issue that we must address.
In collaboration with electric utilities and other partners, Phoenix will increase participation in low-
income energy programs, provide resources that improve household efficiency, and strengthen our
partnerships to deliver solutions that are both immediate and long-lasting.
The Energy Access Plan complements the City of Phoenix’s Climate Action Plan and our broader
commitment to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. It is
data-driven, equity-focused, and intended to evolve to meet the needs of a rapidly changing landscape.
I want to thank the Office of Sustainability, the Office of Environmental Programs, and all the city staff
and community partners who made this plan possible. Most importantly, I thank the residents who
shared their stories, ideas, and hopes throughout the process. Your voices are at the heart of this plan.
Together, we are working to ensure that every household—no matter their income level—can access the
affordable, sustainable energy needed to thrive. This is how we build a stronger, healthier, and more
equitable Phoenix for generations to come.
Kate Gallego
Mayor, City of Phoenix

Executive Summary
The City of Phoenix Energy Access Plan represents a fundamental step towards realizing the vision set
forth in the 2015 General Plan to become the most sustainable desert city on the planet. The City of
Phoenix Office of Sustainability was tasked with creating an actionable plan for energy affordability to
remain resilient against extreme heat. While some efforts are already in progress, this Energy Access
Plan (EAP) outlines the actions the City will take starting from 2025 through 2030 to help reduce the
burden of energy bills for residents, recognizing that affordable energy is necessary for healthy
communities.
The Energy Access Plan combines community-driven solutions with partner expertise to define the
actions the City of Phoenix will take to help reduce energy burden among residents. Currently, over
82,345 out of 584,114 Phoenix households experience high energy burden, spending 6% or more of
their income on energy. Nearly all of these households are low-income.1 Following the United Nations’
Sustainability Development Goal 7 to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern
energy for all,” Phoenix aims to increase household participation in low-income energy programs by 25%
by 2030.
This Plan includes six actions that seek to increase participation in low-income energy programs by 2030
and provide long-term strategies for energy affordability.
1. Expand the City of Phoenix Weatherization Assistance Program – increase the capacity of the
Weatherization Assistance Program to support energy efficiency in low-income communities.
2. Strengthen Community-Driven Planning and Programs – adopt a cross-sector strategy to
address energy affordability that centers community voices in program design and decision-
making.
3. Expand Multilingual and Community-Based Energy Education – collaborate with stakeholders
and community partners to improve energy education.
4. Improve Solar Access and Consumer Protection – seek solar opportunities for low-income
households while improving education; strengthen partnerships that support solar consumer
protections.
5. Scale Up Workforce Development – expand pathways to employment in energy efficiency and
clean energy careers.
6. Support Sustainability Advocacy Structures – strengthen citywide and interorganizational
coordination structures that support energy affordability.
Acknowledging that the City of Phoenix is not an electric utility provider for Phoenix residents, the Energy
Access Plan actions were created with the intent to leverage the City’s governmental resources and local
expertise to alleviate energy burden. Arizona Public Service (APS) and Salt River Project (SRP) are the

electric utility providers for Phoenix. APS and SRP both have sustainability goals for energy and offer
various energy efficiency and bill support programs for customers. The City of Phoenix also continues to
improve energy security and sustainability as part of the Climate Action Plan and the City’s 2050 Goals.
Additionally, indoor and outdoor heat response goals are updated annually in the City’s Heat Response
Plan.
The Energy Access Plan is a companion document to the City’s Climate Action Plan and is part of the
City’s commitment to the Global Covenant of Mayors and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
The City of Phoenix Office of Sustainability led the efforts to create the Energy Access Plan in
collaboration with City departments and external partners. The Office of Sustainability partnered with the
Office of Environmental Programs in many engagement efforts as the City is updating the Climate Action
Plan and Food Action Plan. Public engagement through virtual seminars, community workshops, an
online survey, canvassing, and presence at community events was imperative in informing this Plan and
shaping the City’s approach to alleviating energy burden.

Introduction
Phoenix’s hot climate poses a unique need for indoor cooling. During the hottest months, Phoenicians
depend on cool indoor spaces to stay safe and comfortable. Lack of sufficient indoor cooling at home
poses serious health risks such as worsened respiratory illnesses, increased stress and anxiety, poorer
school performance, negatively impacted employment opportunities, and even indoor heat-related
death. The City of Phoenix acknowledges the connection between energy affordability and health
and has created actions that contribute to lowering the burden of energy bills and bringing
residents out of energy poverty.
Energy poverty describes a situation in which a household does not have access to or cannot afford the
energy required for essential needs like cooling, heating, and cooking. This is often measured through
energy burden—the percentage of a household’s income spent on energy bills. According to the
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, households spending more than 6% of their income
on energy bills face a high energy burden; over 10%, and it’s considered a severe energy burden. For
example, if a household’s monthly income is $2,500 and it pays $150 or more in electricity bills for the
month, they are experiencing a high energy burden. Beyond this measurement, energy burden is also
reflected in lived experiences such as delaying the use of air conditioning, receiving electricity
disconnection notices, cooking outdoors to avoid heating the home, or lacking access to efficient
appliances.
Low-income households make
up 96% of all Phoenix
households experiencing high
energy burden.2 Low-income
households are defined as
households with an income
between 0% and 200% of the
Federal Poverty Level, meaning
they earn at or two times below
the poverty threshold. Low-
income households who may
struggle to afford their energy bills
or who cannot afford to repair,
replace, or install air conditioning (AC) units are at a particularly high risk of the negative impacts of
energy burden. Energy burden can force households to make the impossible decision to choose between
which essential bills to pay such as rent, transportation, water, groceries, or medical bills, for example.
Because of Phoenix’s dangerous heat conditions in the summer, low-income households may prioritize
AC over other necessities to combat indoor heat.3 These situations can contribute to housing instability,
increasing the risk of eviction and displacement for missed or late payments. In Phoenix, low-income
households wait on average four to seven degrees Fahrenheit longer to turn on their AC compared to
Figure 1. The City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs and Office
of Sustainability, in collaboration with Pinnacle Prevention, completed a
Climate, Energy, and Food Action Plan community survey in 2025. 3 out of
10 survey participants reported that they received a disconnection notice
for their energy bill within the last 12 months.

high-income households, showing that low-income households face more uncomfortable indoor
temperatures which could negatively impact health and quality of life.4 In 2023, virtually all indoor heat-
related deaths in Maricopa County occurred in homes where the AC was either not functioning, not
in use, or not present.5 Addressing energy poverty is not just about lowering bills; it is about protecting
health, reducing stress, and ensuring all residents can live safely and comfortably in their homes.
Energy burden is
determined by the amount
a household spends on
energy bills as well as
household income;
therefore, strategies to
reduce this burden can
target either determinant.
Supporting energy
assistance programs,
including bill support and
energy efficiency services, is
a strategy to help reduce the
amount a household spends on energy bills. Bill assistance is a short-term, immediate action to
alleviate energy burden. Because energy burden is just one aspect of the socioeconomic disparities that
highly burdened communities face, it is vital that programs exist to immediately assist households to
prevent bills from accumulating and creating a worsened financial situation. Energy efficiency services
are long-term actions that allow homes to use less energy to keep it cooler in the summer and warmer in
the winter. As a result, energy efficiency reduces energy bills and supports the comfortability and health
of household members.
Beyond energy efficiency,
another long-term
approach to decreasing
energy burden is through
supporting workforce
development initiatives to
increase income stability
and strengthen pathways
to employment in energy
efficiency and clean
energy job markets. It is
important that the City
meets people where they
are at and plans for the
Figure 2. A significant proportion of indoor heat-related deaths reported in
Maricopa County (2024) showed a lack of sufficient access to cool indoor
environments. Source: Rubio et al., 2024 Heat-Related Deaths Report.
Figure 3. Climate, Energy, and Food Action Plan community survey responses to
prompts about limiting energy use to save money. “Other” responses include
participants explaining the strategies they use to reduce their energy use, for
example, avoiding using appliances during peak hours (4-7 PM).

future, accounting for both the immediate and long-term needs of residents for true resiliency and
sustainability.
The Energy Access Plan serves as a policy tool for the City of Phoenix to address energy access as it
pertains to affordability. Although the City of Phoenix is not an electric utility provider, it may leverage its
influence, partnerships with local utilities, relationships with community-based organizations,
communication channels with regional stakeholders, and the in-house Weatherization Assistance
Program to contribute to the Plan’s efforts. The ability to bring the lived experiences of community
members to the forefront of energy conversations and action uniquely equips the City to facilitate energy
access. Across the nation, other cities are also applying their local expertise to create similar
energy access policy documents, including the City of Tempe’s Residential Energy Equity
Roadmap, the City of Philadelphia’s Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy, and the City of
Cincinnati’s Energy Burden report. 678
Stakeholder Engagement
Community engagement has been integral in the creation of the Energy Access Plan. It is understood that
lived experiences shared by community members are vital in understanding energy burden in Phoenix
and developing a Plan the reflects local needs. The Office of Sustainability (OOS) is committed to actively
engaging with residents and community members citywide to develop an equitable and inclusive Energy
Access Plan that addresses energy affordability and the energy burden experienced by Phoenix
residents. The OOS’s engagement efforts have been guided by the following three principles:
1. Informing the Community. The OOS is committed to ensuring that residents across Phoenix
are well-informed about the purpose, goals, and scope of the Energy Access Plan. Through
public communications, workshops, and presentations, the OOS aims to foster awareness
and transparency throughout the EAP process.
2. Consulting and Seeking Ideas through Community Voices. The OOS recognizes the vital
role of community leadership in shaping effective and equitable energy solutions. Engagement
efforts have focused on gathering residents’ experiences, perceptions, and ideas related to
energy burden. Through facilitated activities, the OOS has consulted and sought input on how
to achieve greater energy affordability. The OOS is committed to maintaining an ongoing
dialogue with residents that encourages continuous feedback and collaboration.
3. Incorporating Community Input. Ideas and recommendations gathered through workshops,
webinars, and public communications directly inform the strategies and actions outlined in
the Energy Access Plan. Recognizing that not all feedback may be fully implemented,
particularly when suggestions fall outside the scope of the City’s authority, the OOS remains
committed to integrating community input wherever possible.
In partnership with the City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs and the local organizations
Pinnacle Prevention and Unlimited Potential, the OOS conducted outreach, an online survey, attended

community events, and hosted 10 bilingual (English and Spanish) workshops across Phoenix to inform
the EAP. The 1.5-hour workshops featured discussions, art, and voting activities where participants
shared their experiences and insights into the barriers and solutions to energy affordability.
Throughout the 2025 Energy Access Plan
Community Workshop series, the OOS
captured feedback from participants in
the form of collages, written comments,
testimonies, and facilitators’ notes. All
feedback was organized into themes to
understand the priorities of residents.
Figure 4 presents the twelve main themes
that emerged from the workshop series.
This organization shows the community’s
interest in effective energy programs,
community experiences of modifying
behaviors to cope with indoor heat, and
community reflections on concerns
related to cost of living.
The actions determined in this Energy
Access Plan have emerged primarily from
the feedback from community during this
engagement with considerations to
feasibility, scalability, and impact. The OOS
created an Energy Access Plan Community
Engagement Report which thoroughly details
the process of community engagement, the
format of the community workshops, and the
community findings from the Office’s
engagement efforts.
Combining Community Expertise with Partner Expertise
The OOS partnered with various City departments to assess action feasibility. During this process
actions were evaluated based on time restraints, organizational and program capacities, scope of
influence, and funding. The OOS is committed to continuing a partnership across City departments to
measure progress and support the implementation of the determined actions. This offers the greatest
potential for impact, scalability, and alignment with the target to increase participation in low-income
energy programs.
Figure 2. Comments captured from participants across the
EAP Workshop Series organized by main themes. Energy
programs, behavioral modification, and cost of living were
among the themes with the most comments from
participants; however, it is worth noting the range of themes
that emerged from conversations around energy
affordability.

To measure participation in low-income energy programs and evaluate the effectiveness of programs,
the Phoenix participated in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Energy to Communities
Program. Participation in this program will be continued during the implementation of the Energy Access
Plan to guide how the City collects data on energy programs and strategizes programmatic
improvements.
Energy Access Target
In alignment with the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) Common Reporting Framework and the City’s
commitment to addressing energy affordability, Phoenix has established a target to reduce energy
burden by increasing participation in energy assistance programs. On January 15, 2025, the Phoenix City
Council approved a target to increase energy assistance program participation by 25% by 2030.
Table 1. City Council-approved target for the Energy Access Plan.
Attribute
Target
Baseline
Affordable
Energy
Increase household participation in low-income energy
assistance programs by 25% to reduce energy burden
within the City of Phoenix by 2030.
72,074 households
participated in assistance
programs in 2024
This target’s strategy is to address programmatic challenges that limit the efficiency of energy programs
and prevent energy burdened households from participating in these programs. Energy programs in this
target refer to energy bill assistance programs such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Program (LIHEAP), APS Crisis Bill Assistance, and SRP Economy Price Plan as well as energy efficiency
programs such as the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), Home Electrification and Appliance
Rebates Program (HEAR), and Home Efficiency Rebates Program (HOMES).
The City of Phoenix recognizes increasing participation in low-income energy programs alone is not a
complete solution to addressing energy poverty; however, this target is critical to ensuring households
who need energy support are able to access resources that alleviate energy burden. It is the City’s role to
use its policy tools, community partnerships, technical assistance capabilities, and proximity to
community members to implement actions to meet this target which are informed primarily by
community input on the barriers and solutions to energy affordability. Policies identified in the City of
Phoenix Energy Access Plan are guided by community input to best serve residents.
Energy Access Actions
The Office of Sustainability is responsible for advancing energy equity in Phoenix. The Energy Access Plan
actions aim to increase household participation in low-income energy programs while also considering
long-term strategies to decrease energy poverty. The actions in the Energy Access Plan fall within the
following focus areas:

Investment & Securing Additional Funding / City-Led Programs – Seek and allocate additional funding
for existing City programs that support energy affordability.
Stakeholder Collaboration – Partner with community-based organizations and community members to
forge stronger community connections and ensure community priorities are effectively addressed.
Policies & Regulation – Utilize local influence to amplify the energy affordability priorities of residents
through policy and regulatory intervention.
Each action includes a description of how the target will be met, identification of the City Lead
responsible for implementing and reporting on the action and identification of partners who are assisting
with the action’s implementation. Actions will be implemented beginning in 2025 through 2030.
Investment & Securing Additional Funding / City-Led Programs
EAP 1.1 Expand the City of Phoenix Weatherization Assistance Program.
The City will seek additional opportunities to expand the Weatherization Assistance Program in support
of energy efficiency retrofits in low-income communities. Additional opportunities include support
services, grants, and other funding sources. Weatherization services may include air sealing, efficient
lighting, high-efficiency appliances, HVAC repair or replacement, home energy assessments, etc. EAP
1.1 aligns with the Climate Action Plan’s SES 2.1 action to “Provide services and products to enhance
and promote the provision of safe, efficient, sustainable and affordable residences and neighborhoods.”
CITY LEAD // Neighborhood Services Department
PARTNERSHIPS // Office of Sustainability, APS, SRP, Arizona Department of Housing
Community and Stakeholder Collaboration
EAP 2.1 Strengthen Community-Driven Planning and Programs.
The City will continue to use a community-driven planning approach centering resident voices in
program design and decision-making. This means including community-based organizations and
community members to ensure cultural relevance and accessibility, utilizing participatory engagement
methods, and maintaining transparency through regular updates as co-creating initiatives. The City will
adopt a cross-sector strategy that connects energy affordability to health, housing quality, water, and
extreme heat by continuing to consolidate engagement efforts and utilizing assistance program cross-
referral networks.
CITY LEAD // Office Sustainability
PARTNERSHIPS // All Departments, Nonprofits, Community-Based Organizations

EAP 2.2 Expand Multilingual and Community-Based Energy Education.
The City will enhance energy education by creating culturally relevant materials and outreach efforts that
extend beyond English and Spanish. Collaborative efforts include hosting in-person workshops on
financial assistance and energy affordability topics, launching social media campaigns, facilitating
webinars in community-preferred languages, and partnering with schools to integrate energy education
into youth programs.
CITY LEAD // Office of Sustainability
PARTNERSHIPS // Communications Office, Office of Environmental Programs, Water Department, City
Manager’s Office, City Council Office, APS, SRP, Phoenix School Districts, Nonprofits, Community-
Based Organizations

EAP 2.3 Improve Solar Access and Consumer Protection.
The City will seek solar opportunities for low-income households while enhancing consumer education
and safeguards. This includes building pilot programs, partnering with trusted nonprofits to share vetted
vendor lists and consumer protection resources, and offering workshops on solar readiness and
financing. Exploring innovative utility and nonprofit partnership models may help reduce adoption
barriers, prevent fraud, and support informed decision-making. EAP 2.3 aligns with the Climate Action
Plan’s SES2.3 action to “Strongly advocate for distributed solar energy systems (rooftop and carport
solar) and for a cleaner electric grid, with more utility-scale solar arrays.”
CITY LEAD // Office of Sustainability
PARTNERSHIPS // Office of Government Relations, City Manager’s Office, Maricopa County, Arizona
Governor’s Office of Resiliency, APS, SRP, Nonprofits, Community-Based Organizations

EAP 2.4 Scale Up Workforce Development.
To build a diverse and skilled energy workforce, the City will promote awareness of energy-related
careers by sharing information on job opportunities, grants, incentives, and training programs. Scaling up
workforce development initiatives and partnering with nonprofits will strengthen pathways to
employment in energy efficiency and clean energy job markets.
CITY LEAD // Community and Economic Development Department
PARTNERSHIPS // Office of Government Relations, Office of Sustainability, Maricopa Community
Colleges, Phoenix School Districts, APS, SRP

Policies & Regulation
EAP 3.1 Support Sustainability Advocacy Structures.
The City will continue to support and amplify resident voices through strategic partnerships and inclusive
engagement across multiple sectors including energy, housing, and health. By collaborating with
advocacy organizations and government agencies, the City can help promote renter rights, solar
regulation, monitor rate cases, and expand access to energy programs, while working within its capacity.
CITY LEADS // Office of Government Relations and Office of Sustainability
PARTNERSHIPS // Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency,
Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO), Maricopa County, Nonprofits, Community-Based
Organizations
Energy Access Assessment
The Energy Access Plan is grounded in a clear understanding of how Phoenix residents experience energy
in their homes and communities. To support this work, the City of Phoenix conducted an energy access
assessment to evaluate three key areas: affordability, reliability, and sustainability. This assessment
followed international best practices, including guidance from GCoM and the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goal 7: “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy
for all.”
The energy access assessment detailed below concludes Phoenix has access to a secure electric grid
and sustainable energy sources but shows Phoenix largely lacks access to affordable energy, especially
among low-income households, as shown by the City’s analysis using the U.S. Department of Energy’s
Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool.

Affordable Energy
Environment, economy, and equitable accessibility all work together as critical pillars of sustainability.
With access to secure and sustainable energy, affordability emerges as the attribute of energy access for
the City to prioritize. To measure
energy affordability, the City
calculated the number of
households that spend more than
6% of their income on energy
service (high energy burden).
There are more than five hundred
thousand households in Phoenix.
According to the LEAD Tool,
82,345 households experience a
high energy burden; 96% of these
energy burdened households are
classified as low-income.9 There
are 150,783 low-income
households in Phoenix; over half
of these households experience
high energy burden. Looking
specifically at mobile homes,
nearly 90% of energy burdened
mobile homes are classified as
low-income. Recognizing that a
high energy burden on a
financially vulnerable population
can lead to increased health and
safety risks, the City of Phoenix’s
Energy Access Plan aligns with
supporting energy affordability
particularly among low-income
community members.

Secure and Sustainable Energy
Secure energy was measured using the percentage of Phoenix’s population with access to electricity.
According to the World Bank and other institutions, 100% of the population in the United States has
secure access to electricity.10 The entirety of Phoenix has access to a reliable electric grid, which is
Figure 5. Map of Phoenix shows the concentration of households
experiencing high energy burden across the city by census tract. Darker
blue shades indicate a higher concentration of burdened households.
Source: Ma & Vimont, 2024.

provided by two utilities: Arizona Public Service (APS) and Salt River Project (SRP). Methods to measure
energy security include power outage frequency (how often), duration (how long), and extent (impacted
areas).11 APS reports an average annual interruption of 87.2 minutes in 2024.12 SRP’s 2023 grid
performance results show an annual average interruption of 70.0 minutes.13
Sustainable energy means access to clean and renewable energy sources to lower carbon emissions
that contribute to changes in climate. Renewable energy sources come from natural sources that
replenish faster than they are used unlike fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) which are used faster than they
replenish.14 Clean energy refers to energy sources that create little to no greenhouse gas emissions
compared to fossil fuel energy sources which produce large amounts of greenhouse gases.15 The City
measured sustainable energy by calculating the percentage of Phoenix households with access to clean
cooking fuels and technologies. According to the 2021 Energy Progress Report for the Sustainable
Development Goal 7, 100% of Phoenix households have access to clean cooking fuels and
technologies.16 A further look into the sustainable energy attribute shows that the Arizona–New Mexico
region uses 15.2% (2,614,248 MWh) of its electricity from renewable energy sources, including hydro,
biomass, wind, solar, and geothermal sources.17 To reduce carbon emissions, both utilities have set
goals to advance the energy transition to clean and renewable sources of energy. In 2025, APS
updated their goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050, maintaining a diverse energy mix from various sources
while aiming to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.18 APS also offers a renewable energy plan to its
customers and promotes several energy efficiency programs.19 SRP’s sustainability plan includes goals
to reduce carbon emissions by 82% by 2035 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, removing
an equal amount of the emissions from the atmosphere that they produce.20 SRP also offers several
energy efficiency programs, including for low-income customers.21

Acknowledgements
The City of Phoenix Office of Sustainability is grateful to the following contributors who gave their time,
efforts, insights, and expertise to help create the Energy Access Plan which focuses on community-
driven solutions to create a more sustainable and equitable future in energy.
City Council Members
Kate Gallego, Mayor
Ann O’Brien, Vice Mayor, District 1
Jim Waring, District 2
Debra Stark, District 3
Laura Pastor, District 4
Betty Guardado, District 5
Kevin Robinson, District 6
Anna Hernandez, District 7
Kesha Hodge Washington, District 8

City Manager’s Office
Ed Zuercher, City Manager
Jeff Barton, (retired), City Manager
Ginger Spencer, Deputy City Manager
Mario Paniagua, (retired), Deputy City Manager
Alan Stephenson, Deputy City Manager

Office of Sustainability
Carla De La Chapa
Carlos Aguiar Hernandez
Luz Jimenez
Karen Apple
Nathan Svenson
Lahayla Curiel
Sonia Gordon (intern)

Office of Environmental Programs
Nancy Allen
Joshua M Uebelherr
Rosanne Albright
Madeline M Mercer
Karen Ibarra
Ariel LeBarron

City of Phoenix Departments
Office of the Mayor, City Council Office, City Manager’s Office,
Arts and Culture Department, Communications Office,
Community and Economic Development Department, Office of
Environmental Programs, Equal Opportunity Department, Office
of Government Relations, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation,
Housing Department, Human Services Department, Law
Department, Phoenix Public Library, Neighborhood Services
ORISE Fellowship
Jorge Morales Guerrero

FUSE Executive Fellowship
TrixieAnn Golberg

Mandela Washington Fellowship
Thomo Lekagane

Unlimited Potential
Emma Viera
Gabriela Hernandez
Tawsha Trahan
Masavi Perea

Pinnacle Prevention
Adrienne Udarbe
Kenneth Steel
Jessie Gruner

Arizona State University
Hanna Breetz
Mokshda Kaul
Andrea Cordoba
Patricia Solis
Elizabeth Wentz
Adam Shealy
Morgan Degroff
Grant Buresh
David Hertzberg
Lauren Johnston

Utility Partners
Salt River Project
Arizona Public Service

Technical Assistance
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Global Covenant of Mayors
GLOBO Interpreting Services

Regional and National Contributors
Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency

Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Planning and
Development Department, Office of Public Health, Water Services
Department
ICLEI RTRC 2025 Cohort
City of Tempe
City of Philadelphia
Wildfire AZ
We would like to give special thanks to all the Phoenix residents who shared their experiences with the
City, without whom this work would not be possible.
The resident quotes included in this document were shared during the Energy Access Plan Workshop
Series completed in 2025. All resident quotes included have been translated into the language of the
document if they were not originally shared in the document’s language.

References

1 Ma, Ookie, and Aaron Vimont. Low-Income Energy Affordability Data-LEAD Tool-2022 Update. DOE
Open Energy Data Initiative (OEDI); US Department of Energy, 2024.
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2504170.

2 Ibid.

3 Larsen, Larissa, Carina J. Gronlund, Kaan Cem Ketenci, et al. “Safe at Home?: A Comparison of Factors
Influencing Indoor Residential Temperatures During Warm Weather Among Three Cities.” Journal of the
American Planning Association 89, no. 3 (2023): 363–75.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2022.2087724.

4 Cong, Shuchen, Arthur Lin Ku, Destenie Nock, Charlotte Ng, and Yueming Lucy Qiu. “Comfort or Cash?
Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Energy Insecurity and Energy Limiting Behavior in
Households.” Energy Research & Social Science 113 (2024): 103528.
5 Rubio, Melanie, Meaghan Batchelor, and Aaron Gettel. 2024 Heat-Related Deaths Report. Maricopa
County Department of Public Health, 2025.
https://www.maricopa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5934.
6 Escobar, Andy. City of Tempe Residential Energy Equity Roadmap. City of Tempe, 2025.
https://www.tempe.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/112718/638804909661470000.
7 Alleviating Energy Poverty in Philadelphia. City of Philadelphia, 2024.
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8 Energy Burden in the City of Cincinnati. City of Cincinnati, 2019. https://www.cincinnati-
oh.gov/sites/oes/assets/GCEA%20Energy%20Burden%20in%20Cincinnati%20report.pdf.
9 Ma, Ookie, and Aaron Vimont. Low-Income Energy Affordability Data-LEAD Tool-2022 Update. DOE
Open Energy Data Initiative (OEDI); US Department of Energy, 2024.
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2504170.
10 IEA, IRENA, UNSD, World Bank, and WHO. Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2021. World
Bank, Washington, DC, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1596/38016.
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Appendix
Energy Access Plan Implementation Table
Focus Area
Action
City Lead
Partnership
Investment &
Securing Additional
Funding / City-Led
Programs
EAP 1.1 Expand the City
of Phoenix
Weatherization
Assistance Program
Neighborhood
Services Department
Office of Sustainability, APS, SRP, Arizona
Department of Housing
Community and
Stakeholder
Collaboration
EAP 2.1 Strengthen
Community-Driven
Planning and Programs
Office of
Sustainability
All Departments, Nonprofits, Community-
Based Organizations
EAP 2.2 Expand
Multilingual and
Community-Based
Energy Education
Office of
Sustainability
Communications Office, Office of
Environmental Programs, Water
Department, City Manager’s Office, City
Council Office, APS, SRP, Phoenix School
Districts, Nonprofits, Community-Based
Organizations
EAP 2.3 Improve Solar
Access and Consumer
Protection
Office of
Sustainability
Office of Government Relations, City
Manager’s Office, Maricopa County, Arizona
Governor’s Office of Resiliency, APS, SRP,
Nonprofits, Community-Based Organizations
EAP 2.4 Scale Up
Workforce
Development
Community and
Economic
Development
Department
Office of Government Relations, Office of
Sustainability, Maricopa Community
Colleges, Phoenix School Districts, APS, SRP
Policies &
Regulation
EAP 3.1 Support
Sustainability Advocacy
Structures
Office of
Government
Relations and Office
of Sustainability
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC),
Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency,
Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO),
Maricopa County, Nonprofits, Community-
Based Organizations

Key Performance Indicators Table
Focus Areas
Actions
Impact Metrics
Investment & Securing
Additional Funding / City-Led
Programs
EAP 1.1 Expand the City of Phoenix
Weatherization Assistance
Program.
Additional number of households weatherized

Number of households enrolled

Amount of external funding secured
Community and Stakeholder
Collaboration
EAP 2.1 Strengthen Community-
Driven Planning and Programs.
Number of Community-Based Organizations
engaged

Number of City departments participating

Number of community engagement,
workshops, and listening sessions

Number of participants or residents reached
Community and Stakeholder
Collaboration
EAP 2.2 Expand Multilingual and
Community-Based Energy
Education.
Number of community engagement,
workshops, and listening sessions

Number of participants reached

Number of languages used in materials and
events

Number of culturally relevant materials
created

Number of social media engagements

Number of school partnerships
Community and Stakeholder
Collaboration
EAP 2.3 Improve Solar Access and
Consumer Protection.
Number of partnerships with trusted
nonprofits

Creation of preferred solar vendor list

Number of community engagement,
workshops, and listening sessions

Number of pilot programs

Community and Stakeholder
Collaboration
EAP 2.4 Scale Up Workforce
Development.
Number of programs offered for workforce
development

Number of events that share information on
job opportunities, grants, incentives, and
training programs

Number of partnerships to scale up workforce
development initiatives

Amount of external funding for workforce
development
Policies & Regulation
EAP 3.1 Support Sustainability
Advocacy Structures.
Number of advocacy organizations engaged

Number of rate cases commented on