This report presents to the City Council the 2025 Energy Access Plan, which outlines
the actions to reduce energy burden for households that are disproportionately
impacted by energy costs. The actions in the plan are designed to address energy
affordability and protect residents from extreme indoor heat. Unaddressed energy
burden can pose serious health risks, including worsened respiratory illnesses,
increased stress and anxiety, housing insecurity, and, in extreme cases, indoor heat-
related death. The plan includes critical actions that work toward the Council-approved
target to enhance Phoenix's participation in low-income energy affordability programs
to address energy access, prioritizing public health and safety.

Staff are seeking approval of the 2025 Energy Access Plan.

THIS ITEM IS FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.

Summary
Energy Burden
Energy poverty describes a situation in which a household lacks access to, or cannot
afford, the energy (electricity and gas) required for essential needs such as cooling,
heating, and cooking. The City of Phoenix measures this through an energy burden
calculation, which is the percentage of a household's income that is spent on home
energy bills. Households that spend more than six percent of their income on energy
bills face a high energy burden. Phoenix's data analysis shows that 14 percent of
households in Phoenix experience high energy burden (82,345 out of 584,114). Of
those households, 96 percent are low-income. Energy burden can also be reflected in
residents' lived experiences. For example, delaying the use of air conditioning to avoid
rising costs, receiving disconnection notices, and cooking outdoors to prevent heating
the home.

Indoor Heat and Health
Phoenicians depend on cool indoor spaces in their home for safety and comfort.
Insufficient indoor cooling at home can pose serious physical and mental health risks
to residents. Impacts include worsened respiratory conditions, and increased stress
and anxiety. These health impacts can negatively impact physical health and


school/work performance. In 2024, Maricopa County reported 138 indoor heat-related
deaths, of which 88 percent occurred in homes with air conditioning (AC) present but
not functioning, not in use, or not connected to electricity.

Low-Income Households and Energy Burden
Low-income households, which make up the vast majority of energy-burdened
households, are at a disproportionate risk of the negative impacts of high energy
prices. Insights from nearly 200 participants recorded in the Office of Sustainability's
Energy Access Plan Community Engagement Report (Attachment A) revealed the
impact of energy burden. High energy bills forced many participants to make the
difficult decision between choosing which essential bills to pay such as rent, medical,
and grocery bills. This poses a barrier to some residents' ability to repair, replace, or
install AC units. Because of Phoenix's extreme heat, low-income households may
prioritize paying their energy bills over other necessities to cope with the heat. This can
contribute to housing instability, increasing the risk of eviction and displacement for
missed or late rent payments. On average, low-income households in Phoenix wait
four to seven degrees Fahrenheit longer to turn on their AC than high-income
households. Nearly 70 percent of responses on the community-wide Climate, Energy,
and Food Action Plan survey indicated that participants have limited their use of their
heating/ cooling systems to uncomfortable or inconvenient levels to save money.
Recognizing that a high energy burden on a financially vulnerable population can
compound health and safety risks, the 2025 Energy Access Plan is aligned to support
energy affordability, particularly for low-income community members.

Low-Income Energy Programs
Low-income energy programs that are eligible to contribute toward the Energy Access
Plan target include energy bill assistance programs such as the Low-Income Home
Energy Assistance Program, Arizona Public Services (APS) Crisis Bill Assistance, and
Salt River Project (SRP) Economy Price Plan as well as energy efficiency programs
such as the Weatherization Assistance Program, Home Electrification and Appliance
Rebates Program, and Home Efficiency Rebates Program. In 2024, the estimated
number of households participating in low-income energy programs was 72,074. This
baseline will be used to measure progress towards the 25 percent increase in
participation by 2030.

2025 Energy Access Plan Actions
The actions outlined in the 2025 Energy Access Plan (Attachment B) are informed by
community feedback from workshops, events, and an online survey. Actions were
evaluated interdepartmentally for feasibility based on time restraints, organizational
and program capacities, scope of influence, funding, and alignment with the target.
Actions to increase household participation in low-income energy programs and


decrease energy poverty include:
· Expand the City of Phoenix Weatherization Assistance Program: Increase the
capacity of the Weatherization Assistance Program to support energy efficiency in
low-income communities.
· 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.
· Expand Multilingual and Community-Based Energy Education: Collaborate with
stakeholders and community partners to improve energy education.
· Improve Solar Access and Consumer Protection: Seek solar opportunities for low-
income households while improving education and strengthen partnerships that
support solar consumer protections.
· Scale Up Workforce Development: Expand pathways to employment in energy
efficiency and clean energy careers.
· Support Sustainability Advocacy Structures: Strengthen Citywide and
interorganizational coordination structures that support energy affordability.

Concurrence/Previous Council Action
· On October 12, 2021, City Council approved the Phoenix Climate Action Plan.
· On January 15, 2025, City Council adopted the Energy Access Target.

Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Ginger Spencer, Deputy City
Manager Alan Stephenson, the Office of Sustainability and the Office of Environmental
Programs.





ATTACHMENT A



Energy Access Plan
Engagement Report




September 2025 8
Executive Summary
On January 15, 2025, the Phoenix City Council approved a target to increase energy
assistance participation by 25% by 2030. This target is part of the Phoenix Energy Access
Plan (EAP), which addresses energy burden—the percentage of a household’s income spent
on energy bills. Spending more than 6% is considered high. Currently, over 82,345 exceed
this threshold, with 96% classified as low-income. Energy assistance programs provide bill
support and energy efficiency services to help reduce this burden.

Between January and May 2025, the Office of Sustainability (OOS), in partnership with city
departments and nonprofits—Pinnacle Prevention, Unlimited Potential, and GLOBO—
hosted 10 community workshops, conducted outreach, and provided interpretation
services to inform the EAP. Feedback from more than 170 participants revealed 12 key
themes, centered on affordability, access, and trust. Section 2 presents proposed
actions addressing these concerns, aligned with the Global Covenant of Mayors Common
Reporting Framework.

Residents expressed strong interest in discount programs, retrofits, and weatherization, but
cited barriers such as limited availability, complex eligibility requirements, and insufficient
support. To manage high bills and indoor heat, residents adopt energy-saving habits, such
as setting thermostats to higher temperatures, avoiding electricity use during peak hours,
and seeking low-cost solutions. Many residents face financial stress from rising costs and
inefficient housing, and they have called for long-term solutions such as backup power and
resiliency hubs. There is a strong demand for multilingual education on utility programs and
energy use, especially for youth.

While solar energy is supported, residents face high costs, fraud, and a lack of transparency.
Advocacy priorities include renter protections, electricity price regulation, and equitable
access to programs. However, trust in institutions remains low. Residents supported tree
planting and green spaces for shade and cleaner air, along with efficient, diverse transit
options. During the EAP community workshop voting activities, participants prioritized
energy bill assistance and discount programs, followed closely by rebates, weatherization,
and solar options. Results highlight a preference for financial relief and energy efficiency
support. Section 1 presents a detailed description of engagement results.

The next step for the OOS is to collaborate with internal departments and external
stakeholders to evaluate the feasibility and impact of proposed actions, prioritizing those
with the greatest potential for scalability, community benefit, and alignment with the EAP-
approved target. Selected actions will be refined into smaller, actionable steps to support
effective implementation. Plan implementation is expected to start in 2026.



Table of Contents
Table of Contents.......................................................................................................... 2
Challenge ..................................................................................................................... 3
Community Engagement Principles................................................................................ 4
Workshop Structure ...................................................................................................... 5
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 7
1. Results .................................................................................................................. 7
1.1 Voting Results ...................................................................................................... 8
1.2 Qualitative Results ............................................................................................. 11
Energy Programs .................................................................................................. 11
Behavioral Modification ........................................................................................ 13
Cost of Living........................................................................................................ 13
Education ............................................................................................................ 14
Trees and Shade ................................................................................................... 15
Solar .................................................................................................................... 15
Advocacy ............................................................................................................. 16
Lack of Trust......................................................................................................... 17
Electric Vehicles (EV’s) ......................................................................................... 18
Transit Accessibility .............................................................................................. 18
Batteries .............................................................................................................. 18
Building Codes ..................................................................................................... 18
1.3 Example of Vision Boards/ Collages ..................................................................... 19
2. Proposed Actions that Address Community Feedback ............................................... 23
Investment & Securing Finance / City-Led Programs .................................................... 23
Internal Capacity Building & Data Collection ............................................................... 23
Stakeholder Collaboration ....................................................................................... 24
Policies & Regulation .............................................................................................. 25
3. Credits and Citations .............................................................................................. 26




Challenge
Many households in Phoenix experience energy poverty, meaning they either lack access
to or cannot afford the energy needed for essential daily activities like cooling, heating, and
cooking. This is often measured through energy burden, the percentage of a household’s
income spent on energy bills. When this burden exceeds 6%, it is considered high; above
10%, it becomes severe. Beyond the numbers, energy burden is also reflected in lived
experiences, such as delaying the use of air conditioning, receiving disconnection notices,
or lacking access to efficient appliances.

The issue of energy burden is
especially urgent in Phoenix,
where extreme heat is becoming
increasingly intense and
prolonged. Rising temperatures
and elevated nighttime heat pose
serious health risks, particularly
for low-income households that
struggle to afford cooling or repair
broken air conditioning (AC)
units. In 2023, most indoor heat-
related deaths in Maricopa
County occurred in homes
without functioning air
conditioning (Batchelor et al.,
2024). Addressing energy poverty
is not just about lowering bills;
it’s about protecting health,
reducing stress, and ensuring all
residents can live safely and
comfortably in their homes.

Map 1. Energy Burden Across Phoenix Districts (Data from Ma & Vimont, 2024)

Map 1 above displays the City of Phoenix, its eight districts, and the major highways. It
highlights the concentration of households experiencing high and severe energy burdens
across the City—darker blue shades indicate a higher percentage of affected households.
The stars on the map represent the locations of the workshops featured in this report.




Workshop Locations Throughout the City of Phoenix
The following sites hosted the Energy Access Plan (EAP) workshop series:

1. 3 virtual sessions
a. Online Climate Action Plan – Energy Workshop
b. Online English EAP Workshop
c. Online Spanish EAP Workshop
2. District 3 - Sunnyslope Community Center (EAP Workshop)
3. District 4 - Steele Indian School Park (EAP Workshop)
4. District 5 - Maryvale Community Center (EAP Workshop)
5. District 6 - Devonshire Community Center (EAP Workshop)
6. District 7 - Desert West Community Center (Climate Action Plan – Energy Workshop)
7. District 8 - Cesar Chavez Community Center (EAP Workshop)
8. District 8 - Cesar Chavez (Climate Action Plan – Youth Workshop)


Community Engagement Principles
The OOS is committed to actively engaging with
residents and community members across all eight City
Council districts. Its goal is to develop an equitable and
inclusive Energy Access Plan that addresses energy
affordability and the energy burden experienced by
Phoenix residents. The office’s engagement efforts are
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 presentations, workshops, and public
communications, the office aims to foster awareness and transparency throughout the
planning 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.
Its engagement efforts have focused on gathering residents’ experiences, perceptions,
and ideas related to energy burden. Through facilitated activities, OOS has actively
sought input on how to achieve greater energy affordability. The office is committed to
maintaining an ongoing dialogue that encourages continuous feedback and
collaboration.
3. Incorporating Community Input. Ideas and recommendations gathered through
workshops, webinars, and advisory meetings directly inform the strategies and actions


outlined in the final Energy Access Plan. While the OOS recognizes that not all feedback
may be fully implemented, particularly when suggestions fall outside the scope of the
City’s authority, it remains committed to integrating community input wherever
possible.




Workshop Structure
The 1.5-hour workshops were designed to foster collaborative exploration of energy
affordability issues and solutions, emphasizing participant engagement, creativity, art, and
inclusivity. The following bullet points illustrate the structure of the workshops:

• Welcome & Introduction
o Icebreaker and welcome table with community resources provided by Salt
River Project and Arizona Public Service.
o The OOS presented the concept of energy burden and introduced the Energy
Access Plan.
• Interactive and Artistic Activities to Identifying Barriers and Solutions
o Using magazines, markers, and art supplies, participants created a group
collage to visually express challenges related to energy burden. Participants
also brainstormed and illustrated potential solutions.
• Voting for Solutions
o Individual Voting: Using a printed voting sheet, participants selected their top
3 preferred solutions from 5 predefined options and one open-ended “Other”
option. The voting activity was only conducted during the EAP workshops.
o Group Voting: Participants used three stickers to vote on flip charts
representing the most appealing ideas, including the “Other” category.
o Options in the voting activity were:



▪ Solar Options: affordable and reliable solar options for residents’
homes.
▪ Bill Assistance: programs that help with utility and electricity bills,
such as Arizona Public Service (APS) Crisis Bill Assistance.
▪ Weatherization: energy efficiency improvements that enhance the
home envelope, like insulation.
▪ Discount Programs: utility discount plans like APS Energy Support or
Salt River Project (SRP) Economy Price Plan.
▪ Rebates: financial incentives for energy-efficient upgrades, such as
replacing appliances.
▪ Other: a write-in option for attendees to suggest additional ideas not
listed above.
• Wrap-Up
o A collective review of the voting results and final reflections.
o Final comments and reflections from participants.

The City collaborated with three nonprofit organizations—Pinnacle Prevention, Unlimited
Potential, and GLOBO—to facilitate workshops, conduct outreach to invite participants,
and provide interpretation services.

Language Accessibility
The workshops were conducted in both English and Spanish, ensuring inclusivity through:
• Seven in-person sessions with interpretation support.
• Online workshops with:
o One session offering
simultaneous interpretation.
o Two sessions conducted
entirely in English and
Spanish.





Data Analysis
The OOS team collected all facilitator notes, post-its, collages, and other materials
containing participants’ comments to create a database for analysis. All data was compiled
into an Excel spreadsheet and classified into themes. Through an interactive process and
group discussions, all comments were synthesized into 12 categories. This task involved
developing a data dictionary to define each category and produce the results presented in
this report.




1. Results
Table 1 presents the number of participants who attended each EAP workshop:

Date Venue District Number of Participants
1/30/2025 Online - CAP Energy Workshop N/A 23
4/23/2025 Desert West Community Center 7 12
5/13/2015 Cesar Chavez Community Center 8 23
5/20/2025 Steele Indian School Memorial Hall 4 9
5/20/2025 Cesar Chavez - Youth 8 18
5/22/2025 Online - Spanish N/A 22
5/27/2025 Devonshire Senior Center 6 21
5/29/2025 Maryvale Community Center 5 26
5/8/2025 Sunnyslope Community Center 3 23
6/12/2025 Online - English and Spanish N/A 16
Total 193
Table 1. EAP Workshop Attendance by Location





1.1 Voting Results
The following graphs display the results
from both individual and group voting
activities. The first graph shows the
number of votes captured at each
workshop, while the second graph
presents the number of votes each
option received for the energy program
options initially suggested by the OOS
team.




Figure 1. Total Votes Recorded Across EAP Workshops




Figure 2. Summary of Voting Results from All EAP Workshops

The voting results, as shown in Figure 2, reflect strong interest across all proposed energy
program options. Bill Assistance and Discount Programs received the highest number of



individual votes (55 each), followed closely by Rebates (53), Solar Options (47),
Weatherization (45), and Other (44). In terms of group votes, Bill Assistance again led with
76 votes, followed by Discount Programs (69), Rebates (58), Weatherization (57), Solar
Options (50), and Other (38).
The definitions of each group are explained below in Table 2. These results highlight
a consistent preference for financial relief and support programs among participants.

Voting Option Definitions
Options Option Definition
Solar Options Affordable and reliable solar options for residents’ homes.
Bill Assistance Programs that help with utility and electricity bills, such as APS Crisis Bill Assistance.
Weatherization Energy efficiency improvements that enhance the home envelope like insulation.
Discount Programs Utility discount plans like APS Energy Support or SRP Economy Price Plan.
Rebates Financial incentives for energy-efficient upgrades, such as replacing appliances.
Other A write-in option for attendees to suggest additional ideas not listed above.

Table 2. Voting Options and Definitions Shared with Participants During Workshops

Figure 3 presents the number of recorded votes in the “Other” category, which includes
participant-submitted ideas beyond the five pre-defined options. These responses are
grouped into two classifications: those related to Energy and those addressing Other Topics,
such as food, trees, improved street lighting, and more. The most frequently mentioned
themes across both categories included retrofits and appliances, trees, the high cost of
electricity and other living expenses, and the need for education for both adults and youth.




Figure 3. Breakdown of 'Other' Category Write-in Responses by Topic

Table 3 below provides a detailed breakdown of all categories and the number of comments
received under the “Other” responses. It’s important to note that some participants
selected the “Other” option but did not provide a written response; these entries were
categorized as ‘No response.’




Type of Comment in the “Other” Category Count
Retrofit and Appliances 9
Trees 8
No Response 7
High Electricity Bills and Cost of Living 7
Adult and Youth Education 7
Personal Habits 6
Lack of Trust 5
High Cost of Solar 4
City Maintenance (lighting and green spaces) 4
Incentives for Weatherization 3
Affordable Rent and Energy Efficient Appliances 2
Discount Programs 2
Elderly Support 2
Grand Total 66
Table 3. Detailed Classification of 'Other' Write-in Comments





1.2 Qualitative Results
Results were organized by themes. The graph to the right
shows the first two categories used to classify comments:
Barriers and Solutions. The analysis included 161 comments
or data points that discussed barriers to energy affordability,
while 435 entries presented solutions to energy burden and
affordability. This suggests that participants were primarily
focused on finding solutions. This could be because they are
already well aware of the barriers they face and are actively
proposing ways to overcome them. Figure 5 below organizes
the data into themes that go beyond the barrier/solution
binary and highlights participants' interests in the energy
issues and solutions they encounter at home.
Figure 4. Qualitative Results by Barriers and Solutions

Each theme is explained in detail on the
following pages. Each section includes a
table showing the total number of
observations identified within the theme
(total observations), as well as the number of
instances in which the theme appeared
across different workshop venues (workshop
presence). Additionally, each section
provides a narrative exploring the topics,
themes, sentiments, and emotions shared by
participants during these sessions.




Figure 5. Key Themes Identified Through Qualitative Analysis

Energy Programs
Electricity Bill Discount / Assistance Programs were comments that expressed interest
and the need for programs that alleviate the urgency of residents to pay for their electricity
bills. One comment emphasized the need for such programs, specifically during heat
waves.

Weatherization comments include expressed interest in getting energy audits and financial
aid and subsidies to secure insulated windows and doors, double windows, window tint,


blackout curtains, window screens, foam insulation, white roofs, and incentives for
weatherizing older homes. Others mentioned the need to have larger windows to leverage
natural light and the need for a new electrical installation.

Retrofits include financial support programs to replace older appliances and reduce the
costs of energy-efficient alternatives, such as LED bulbs, cooling or air conditioning (HVAC)
systems, electrified appliances, window screens, and smart thermostats. These initiatives
are particularly beneficial for low-income residents.

"Discount Programs are Not Enough" includes comments from residents expressing
concerns about the limited availability of such programs. They often feel that these
programs do not adequately support low-income households, especially when eligibility is
based on tax returns. Additionally, the financial assistance provided is often insufficient to
make a significant impact on their economic situation. Residents also report feelings of
stress and anxiety, even when participating in these programs, particularly those that merely
defer their debt throughout the year.

“Take Advantage of Discount Programs” includes comments that express the interest of
residents to apply to such programs.

The last two comments highlight the need for more grants to fund discount programs and
the perception among residents that a lack of participation in these programs could lead
to their cancellation.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Retrofit Subsidies 65 8

Weatherization 47 8

Bill Discount/Assistance 12 3

Programs Are Not Enough 8 4

Take Advantage of Programs 5 4

Need for Increased Funding 1 1

Lack of Program Participation 1 1

Energy Programs Total 139 9





Behavioral Modification
Conservation includes using fans instead of AC to cope with the indoor heat and avoid high
electricity bills, setting thermostats to higher temperatures (78-83 degrees), especially
when residents are not at home, and lowering the temperature of water heaters during
summer. It also involves closing doors and windows to avoid air leakages, using cold water
and full loads when doing laundry, line drying clothes outside, unplugging electronics,
turning off lights when not in use, leveraging daylight during the day, changing AC filters, and
putting foil in windows to reflect sunlight and prevent heat from getting inside the home.

Time of Electricity Use details efforts to avoid using electricity during peak hours,
scheduling turning off/on electronics, or setting laundry when electricity is less expensive
based on the electricity plan each household has.

Cooking includes comments that explain how residents choose to cook outside, early in the
day, and even prepare cold meals to avoid the house heating up during the hottest hours of
the day.

Showering explains how residents try to have quick showers with cold water to avoid using
hot water, thereby saving energy and water.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Conservation 57 9

Time of Electricity Use 14 6

Cooking 12 4

Showering 11 4

Behavioral Modification Total 94 9


Cost of Living
This theme describes how residents feel their electricity bills are too high. They express
having to decide between paying for groceries, clothing, insurance, and medical expenses.
They also mentioned that their salaries are not sufficient to cover all their bills, and
comments highlighted the impact of indoor heat on their families, especially children and
the elderly. One comment suggested that with lower electricity bills, residents would be able
to save for a vehicle, allowing them to move freely and at their convenience. Some expressed





that their salaries are not enough to cool down their entire homes, with bills sometimes
exceeding $400. Saving money is an impossible task.

Participants also mentioned how everything has become more expensive, and they feel
that their house is leaking money. This theme includes two comments addressing the
challenges of living in an older house with hot walls and an energy-draining AC, and one
comment that supports avoiding the purchase of large houses that are difficult to cool.
Feelings of anxiety, anger, shock, stress, dread, and frustration were present across this
theme as well. Finally, one comment alluded to the need for increasing resiliency or the
need for backup power during blackouts.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Cost of Living 83 8

Education
Utility Programs include comments that express the residents’ interest in workshops or
events where SRP and APS share the programs they offer. Residents shared that they are
unaware of the programs available, what they include, who qualifies, etc. They also
expressed that such events could dispel misinformation.

Energy Use and Savings comments request information about how to improve the efficient
use of energy in residents' houses, time-of-use plans, demand charges, and cooling
methods that do not require significant investments but reduce the cost of electricity.

Education-Other includes sharing information about recycling, Virtual Power Plants,
climate change, electricity sources, and brainstorming/support sessions to find collective
solutions.

Youth refers to comments that express interest in conducting workshops with young people
to discuss conservation measures and increase awareness of topics related to energy
conservation, water, and the environment, especially at schools.

Language Services detail the importance of offering workshops, events, and information in
languages other than English, with an emphasis on the Spanish-speaking community.





Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Education: Utility Programs 19 7

Education: Energy Use and Savings 11 6

Education: Other 14 5

Education: Youth 11 5

Education: Language Services 9 5

Education Total 64 9

Trees and Shade
This theme includes general support for planting more shade-producing trees. Comments
also emphasized the need to plant more trees and create green spaces in neighborhoods,
around residents’ houses, and to avoid cutting trees. Participants reported high pollution
and a lack of trees in their residential areas. Residents also expressed the need for native
landscaping and green space maintenance. Three comments expressed the need for shade
structures.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Trees / Shade 54 10

Solar
Solar Incentives/Expense comments express general support for solar while also
acknowledging that it requires a big up-front investment. The need for financial incentives
for residential solar was highlighted.

Solar Other includes the use of Land “Land trade-off”, batteries and solar, community solar
and supply chain and jobs.

Solar Fraud includes comments about unusually high solar costs from residents who have
purchased a solar system. The lack of information about the financial process and costs has
exacerbated the problem. Others shared that solar companies have gone bankrupt, but the
debt has remained. They expressed frustration and concern about this situation.
Additionally, some residents mentioned that they do not perceive benefits in having solar
because they need to pay more than their actual electricity bill.




Solar Utility Scale includes comments that express the need for larger solar projects led by
government agencies. For example: “State needs to work with utility providers to install
large-scale solar” and “Do what France did – require solar on parking lots over a certain size.
We have the space, and it would generate low-cost energy.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Incentives/Expense 32 9

Solar: Other 8 2

Solar Fraud 6 2

Solar Utility Scale 5 2

Solar Total 51 9

Advocacy
Support Renewables and Energy Conservation includes comments that encourage the
City to lead by example in energy conservation, such as “Cities voicing support for the State
to make bigger leaps towards larger energy reduction” and working with the State to find
solutions, like “Cities working with the State to advocate for larger solutions.” This also
includes support for wind, geothermal, hydro, and renewable energy in general. It also
included a comment to implement “Time/cost effective solutions.” One participant
recommended looking at Oregon's policy framework.

Renter Rights include the concern of some renters that their landlords do not fix their AC
units or replace them when they are old and inefficient. A comment also mentioned that the
City could advocate for affordable rent and energy-efficient appliances. Weatherization
programs for renters and solar were also suggested. One comment mentioned that the lack
of options for renters makes them feel hopeless. Others mentioned that rents should be
cheaper or regulated.

Electricity Price Regulation expressed residents' interest in preventing electricity prices
from increasing. They mentioned that electricity prices should not increase and that the City
should regulate to ensure that electricity companies do not raise prices to pay for their
projects. Residents also stated that the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) needs to
work with people and that the City should remain vigilant of electricity prices to protect
residents. The creation of a watchdog agency was also suggested in this theme.





Eligibility includes support for discount programs, but residents noted that they do not
qualify and that these programs should be accessible to everyone. Renters expressed that
they do not know if they qualify for the program and feel they do not have a choice. Others
expressed the need to shorten the gap in qualification for rebate programs. Elders
mentioned the need to tailor programs specifically for them.

Regulate Solar Companies includes comments that explain the need for solar companies
to be regulated to avoid the community fraud they have experienced, which has made them
feel frustrated and stagnant. One comment mentioned that property taxes for solar should
go towards subsidizing solar in homes: “Why aren't our state property taxes going towards
solar panels on residents' homeowner roofs if they wish to participate?”

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Support Renewables and
Energy Conservation 11 4

Renters Rights 9 4

Electricity Price Regulation 8 5

Eligibility 5 3

Regulate Solar Companies 5 3

Advocacy Total 38 9

Lack of Trust
This theme includes comments that expressed a lack of trust in the government, utilities,
and solar companies. Residents were doubtful about discount programs: “The discount
programs that help to pay the electricity bill... no one helps for free. There’s no trust in
government officials, and people think there’s something behind these programs.” Other
comments include: lack of transparency, being scared to ask for help, “APS and SRP keep
us stuck,” “When it comes to residential solar, who can we trust, since there has been so
many fly-by-night companies?,” “Don't trust any solar that lets your windows be solar
heaters and does not offer a battery,” and “A lot of times the City commits to addressing this
issue, but nothing happens in reality.”

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Lack of Trust 10 6



Electric Vehicles (EV’s)
This theme includes three comments in favor of EVs. One highlights the importance of
electric buses, another stresses the need for EV incentives, while a different comment
expresses a preference for bicycles over EVs.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

EVs 6 5

Transit Accessibility
This theme includes comments that highlight the need for an efficient transit system and
diverse transportation options. Another comment notes that South Phoenix has been
negatively impacted by the light rail construction.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Accessibility 6 4

Batteries
This theme reflects two comments highlighting the need for recycling options for batteries
and the development of new battery technologies.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Batteries 3 2

Building Codes
This theme includes comments advocating for the incorporation of building codes to
enhance energy efficiency. Another comment emphasizes the importance of building green,
building fast, and building right.

Theme Total Observations Workshop Presence

Building Codes 3 2





1.3 Example of Vision Boards/ Collages
This section presents examples of the collages created by participants during the
workshops. These collages reflect some of the main themes discussed in Section 1.2, such
as the need for trees around homes, the difficult trade-off between paying bills and buying
food, and practical conservation efforts like harvesting rainwater, taking shorter showers,
and reusing laundry water.

Collages and vision boards also reflect the value of green spaces for family time, interest in
retrofitting older homes, and the financial strain caused by electricity bills and air
conditioning—often leading to feelings of shock. Additional themes include interest in solar
photo voltaic technologies and a desire to grow food, among others.







All images in this section were created by participants of the EAP community workshops.





2. Proposed Actions that Address Community Feedback
The list of actions in this section emerged from the comments and insights shared by
workshop participants. Actions were also informed by the Master of Sustainability
Leadership capstone project—an OOS partnership with Arizona State University—which
analyzed strategies implemented by other U.S. cities to reduce energy poverty among
residents. The capstone cohort provided valuable insights into best practices that
informed the development of the proposed actions outlined in this report.

While not exhaustive, the following list of activities captures a wide range of potential
initiatives the City of Phoenix could undertake to address energy affordability and equity. The
activities are organized according to the Common Reporting Framework by the Global
Covenant of Mayors (GCOM), under the section Energy Access and Poverty Assessment.

As a next step, OOS will share these findings and community feedback with internal
departments and key external stakeholders to assess the feasibility of these ideas, their
alignment with the Energy Access Plan goals, and their potential for implementation. This
process will also involve reflecting on the local government’s interest in specific actions,
based on time horizon, available capacity, and funding. Departments will be encouraged to
self-identify which actions should be prioritized, focusing on those most suitable for both
local government and residents, and which offer the greatest potential for impact,
scalability, and alignment with the EAP-approved target. Additionally, selected actions will
be detailed and broken down into smaller, actionable steps to support effective planning
and execution of the EAP.

Proposed Actions (organized by GCOM categories):
Investment & Securing Finance / City-Led Programs
Action 1. Expand the City of Phoenix Weatherization Assistance Program.
This could include allocating additional funding and seeking grants to expand the program
in support of energy efficiency retrofits in low-income communities, among other initiatives.
Services could include air sealing, efficient lighting, high-efficiency appliances, HVAC repair
or replacement, home energy assessments, etc.

Internal Capacity Building & Data Collection
Action 2. Integrate Energy Access, Housing, Heat, Water, and Health Strategies.
To better serve vulnerable communities, the City could adopt a holistic, cross-sector
strategy that acknowledges the deep interconnection between energy burden, housing
quality, water, and extreme heat. Strengthening building codes is another strategy that



could be pursued. Cross-sector collaboration and referral networks could effectively extend
program budgets and enhance accessibility by streamlining services for residents, such as
through the development of Resilient Community Hubs and the integration of the Tree and
Shade Plan with energy and water initiatives. The City could also consolidate engagement
efforts to make the best use of participants’ time.

Stakeholder Collaboration
Action 3. Community-Driven Planning and Programs.
The City could adopt a community-driven planning approach that centers resident voices in
program design and decision-making. This includes co-creating initiatives with trusted
community-based organizations and community members for cultural relevance and
accessibility. This also involves using participatory engagement methods to build trust, as
well as maintaining transparency through regular updates. The City could also continue
expanding its micro-grant offerings to support community-driven initiatives. Establishing a
Community Advisory Group composed of diverse local leaders could further strengthen
communication, elevate community priorities, and ensure ongoing dialogue between the
City and its constituents.

Action 4. Expand Multilingual and Community-Based Energy Education.
The City could enhance a holistic, multilingual, and community-based energy education
strategy by creating culturally relevant materials and outreach efforts that extend beyond
English and Spanish. Collaborative efforts could include hosting in-person workshops on
topics like financial assistance and energy affordability, launching social media campaigns,
facilitating webinars in community-preferred languages, and partnering with schools to
integrate energy education into youth programs. The curriculum for these efforts could be
informed by community input gathered during the EAP engagement efforts.

Action 5. Solar Access and Consumer Protection.
The City could expand solar opportunities for low-income households while enhancing
consumer education and safeguards. This includes building on pilot programs, partnering
with trusted nonprofits to share vetted vendor lists and consumer protection resources, and
offering workshops on solar readiness and financing. Additionally, exploring innovative
utility and nonprofit partnership models could also help reduce adoption barriers, prevent
fraud, and support informed decision-making.

Action 6. Workforce Development.
To build a diverse and skilled energy workforce, the City could promote awareness of energy-
related careers by sharing information on job opportunities, grants, incentives, and training
programs. Supporting inclusive workforce development initiatives and partnering with


nonprofits already active in this space could further strengthen pathways to employment
and ensure equitable access to emerging green job markets.

Policies & Regulation
Action 7. Support Sustainability Advocacy Structures.
The City could support and amplify resident voices through strategic partnerships and
inclusive engagement across energy, food, water, housing, and health sectors. By
collaborating with advocacy organizations and government agencies like the Residential
Utility Consumer Office (RUCO), the City could help promote renter rights, the regulation
of solar companies, prevent electricity price hikes, and expand access to energy programs,
while working within its capacity.





3. Credits and Citations
Batchelor, M., et al. (2024). 2023 Heat Related Deaths Report [Report]. Maricopa County
Department of Public Health, Office of Epidemiology.
https://www.maricopa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5820

Ma, O., & Vimont, A. (2024). Low-Income Energy Affordability Data - LEAD Tool - 2022
Update. [Data set]. Open Energy Data Initiative (OEDI). U.S. Department of Energy, Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. https://doi.org/10.25984/2504170

Credits
Gratitude is extended to all the residents who participated in the EAP Community
Engagement Workshops. Appreciation is also given to the following partners for their
contributions to the facilitation of workshops, the data analysis process, and the
development of this document.

• Carla De La Chapa, Chief Sustainability Officer • Emma Viera
• Carlos Aguiar-Hernandez, Energy Program • Gabriela Hernandez
Superintendent • Tawsha Trahan
• Luz Jimenez, Public Information Specialist • Masavi Perea
• Karen Apple, EV Program Manager
• Nancy Allen, Environmental Programs Administrator GLOBO
• Joshua M Uebelherr, Climate Program Manager • Florencia Seguezza
• Karen Ibarra, Project Management Assistant • Paulette Castillo
• Madeline E Mercer, Program Manager
• Ariel LeBarron, Project Manager Arizona State University
• Adam Shealy
• Rosanne Albright, Environmental Programs Manager
• Morgan Degroff
• Grant Buresh
AmeriCorps VISTA
• David Hertzberg
• Lahayla Curiel
• Lauren Johnston

FUSE Executive Fellowship
Mandela Washington Fellowship
• TrixieAnn Golberg
• Thomo Lekagane

Pinnacle Prevention
ORISE Fellowship
• Adrienne Udarbe
• Jorge Morales Guerrero
• Kenneth Steel
• Jessie Gruner Community Partners
• Salt River Project
• Arizona Public Service





Want to learn more about Energy Resources
at the City of Phoenix?

Check out our website:
Phoenix.gov/Sustainability/Energy
ATTACHMENT B




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
Figure 1. The City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs and Office
the poverty threshold. Low- of Sustainability, in collaboration with Pinnacle Prevention, completed a
income households who may Climate, Energy, and Food Action Plan community survey in 2025. 3 out of
struggle to afford their energy bills 10 survey participants reported that they received a disconnection notice
for their energy bill within the last 12 months.
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

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 Figure 2. A significant proportion of indoor heat-related deaths reported in
Maricopa County (2024) showed a lack of sufficient access to cool indoor
energy efficiency services, is
environments. Source: Rubio et al., 2024 Heat-Related Deaths Report.
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
Figure 3. Climate, Energy, and Food Action Plan community survey responses to important that the City
prompts about limiting energy use to save money. “Other” responses include meets people where they
participants explaining the strategies they use to reduce their energy use, for
are at and plans for the
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 Figure 2. Comments captured from participants across the
EAP Workshop Series organized by main themes. Energy
created an Energy Access Plan Community
programs, behavioral modification, and cost of living were
Engagement Report which thoroughly details among the themes with the most comments from
the process of community engagement, the participants; however, it is worth noting the range of themes
format of the community workshops, and the that emerged from conversations around energy
affordability.
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.



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 Increase household participation in low-income energy 72,074 households
Energy assistance programs by 25% to reduce energy burden participated in assistance
within the City of Phoenix by 2030. 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
Figure 5. Map of Phoenix shows the concentration of households
community members. experiencing high energy burden across the city by census tract. Darker
blue shades indicate a higher concentration of burdened households.
Source: Ma & Vimont, 2024.
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


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.

Kate Gallego, Mayor Jorge Morales Guerrero
Ann O’Brien, Vice Mayor, District 1
Jim Waring, District 2 FUSE Executive Fellowship
Debra Stark, District 3 TrixieAnn Golberg
Laura Pastor, District 4
Betty Guardado, District 5 Mandela Washington Fellowship
Kevin Robinson, District 6 Thomo Lekagane
Anna Hernandez, District 7
Kesha Hodge Washington, District 8 Unlimited Potential
Emma Viera
City Manager’s Office Gabriela Hernandez
Ed Zuercher, City Manager Tawsha Trahan
Jeff Barton, (retired), City Manager Masavi Perea
Ginger Spencer, Deputy City Manager
Mario Paniagua, (retired), Deputy City Manager Pinnacle Prevention
Alan Stephenson, Deputy City Manager Adrienne Udarbe
Kenneth Steel
Office of Sustainability Jessie Gruner
Carla De La Chapa
Carlos Aguiar Hernandez Arizona State University
Luz Jimenez Hanna Breetz
Karen Apple Mokshda Kaul
Nathan Svenson Andrea Cordoba
Lahayla Curiel Patricia Solis
Sonia Gordon (intern) Elizabeth Wentz
Adam Shealy
Office of Environmental Programs Morgan Degroff
Nancy Allen Grant Buresh
Joshua M Uebelherr David Hertzberg
Rosanne Albright Lauren Johnston
Madeline M Mercer
Karen Ibarra Utility Partners
Ariel LeBarron Salt River Project
Arizona Public Service
Office of the Mayor, City Council Office, City Manager’s Office, Technical Assistance
Arts and Culture Department, Communications Office, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Community and Economic Development Department, Office of Global Covenant of Mayors
Environmental Programs, Equal Opportunity Department, Office GLOBO Interpreting Services
of Government Relations, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation,
Housing Department, Human Services Department, Law Regional and National Contributors
Department, Phoenix Public Library, Neighborhood Services Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency

Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Planning and ICLEI RTRC 2025 Cohort
Development Department, Office of Public Health, Water Services City of Tempe
Department 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
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.
Ibid.
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.
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.
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.
Escobar, Andy. City of Tempe Residential Energy Equity Roadmap. City of Tempe, 2025.
https://www.tempe.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/112718/638804909661470000.
Alleviating Energy Poverty in Philadelphia. City of Philadelphia, 2024.
https://www.phila.gov/media/20240701150359/Energy-Poverty-Alleviation-Strategy-Final.pdf.
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.
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.
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.
Morgan, Brian. Quadrennial Energy Review: Energy Transmission, Storage, and Distribution
Infrastructure Implementation Report Card. U.S. Department of Energy, 2016.
2025 Corporate Responsibility Report. Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PWCC), 2025.
https://s22.q4cdn.com/464697698/files/doc_downloads/2025/09/2410017-2025-CRR_WebSecure.pdf.
2024 Grid Performance Report. Salt River Project (SRP), 2024.
https://www.srpnet.com/assets/srpnet/pdf/grid-water-management/grid-management/grid-
performance-report.pdf.



United Nations. “What Is Renewable Energy?” United Nations. Accessed October 22, 2025.
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy.
United Nations. “Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy.” Accessed October 22, 2025.
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/energy/.


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.
US EPA, OAR. “Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID).” Collections and Lists.
July 27, 2020. https://www.epa.gov/egrid.
Arizona Public Service (APS). “APS’s Commitment to Sustainability.” Accessed October 8, 2025.
https://www.aps.com/en/About/Sustainability-and-Innovation/Our-Commitment-to-Sustainability.
Arizona Public Service (APS). “Residential Rebates from APS.” Accessed October 8, 2025.
https://www.aps.com/en/Residential/Save-Money-and-Energy/Your-Energy-Your-Options/Rebates.
Salt River Project (SRP). “Sustainability at SRP.” Accessed October 8, 2025.
https://www.srpnet.com/grid-water-management/future-planning/sustainability.





Appendix
Energy Access Plan Implementation Table
Focus Area Action City Lead Partnership
Investment & EAP 1.1 Expand the City
Securing Additional of Phoenix Neighborhood Office of Sustainability, APS, SRP, Arizona
Funding / City-Led Weatherization Services Department Department of Housing
Programs Assistance Program

EAP 2.1 Strengthen
Office of All Departments, Nonprofits, Community-
Community-Driven
Sustainability Based Organizations
Planning and Programs

Communications Office, Office of
EAP 2.2 Expand Environmental Programs, Water
Multilingual and Office of Department, City Manager’s Office, City
Community-Based Sustainability Council Office, APS, SRP, Phoenix School
Energy Education Districts, Nonprofits, Community-Based
Community and Organizations
Stakeholder
Collaboration
Office of Government Relations, City
EAP 2.3 Improve Solar
Office of Manager’s Office, Maricopa County, Arizona
Access and Consumer
Sustainability Governor’s Office of Resiliency, APS, SRP,
Protection
Nonprofits, Community-Based Organizations

Community and
EAP 2.4 Scale Up Office of Government Relations, Office of
Economic
Workforce Sustainability, Maricopa Community
Development
Development Colleges, Phoenix School Districts, APS, SRP
Department

Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC),
Office of
EAP 3.1 Support Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency,
Policies & Government
Sustainability Advocacy Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO),
Regulation Relations and Office
Structures Maricopa County, Nonprofits, Community-
of Sustainability
Based Organizations





Key Performance Indicators Table
Focus Areas Actions Impact Metrics

Additional number of households weatherized
Investment & Securing EAP 1.1 Expand the City of Phoenix
Additional Funding / City-Led Weatherization Assistance Number of households enrolled
Programs Program.
Amount of external funding secured

Number of Community-Based Organizations
engaged

Number of City departments participating
Community and Stakeholder EAP 2.1 Strengthen Community-
Collaboration Driven Planning and Programs.
Number of community engagement,
workshops, and listening sessions

Number of participants or residents reached
Number of community engagement,
workshops, and listening sessions

Number of participants reached

Number of languages used in materials and
EAP 2.2 Expand Multilingual and
Community and Stakeholder events
Community-Based Energy
Collaboration
Education.
Number of culturally relevant materials
created

Number of social media engagements

Number of school partnerships
Number of partnerships with trusted
nonprofits

Creation of preferred solar vendor list
Community and Stakeholder EAP 2.3 Improve Solar Access and
Collaboration Consumer Protection.
Number of community engagement,
workshops, and listening sessions

Number of pilot programs




Number of programs offered for workforce
development

Number of events that share information on
job opportunities, grants, incentives, and
Community and Stakeholder EAP 2.4 Scale Up Workforce training programs
Collaboration Development.
Number of partnerships to scale up workforce
development initiatives

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





ATTACHMENT C




2025 Plan de Acceso a la Energía
Un Plan de Acción para la Asequibilidad Energética




DRAFT
FOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
12/09/2025




Tabla de Contenido
Carta de la Alcaldesa......................................................................................................................... 3
Resumen Ejecutivo............................................................................................................................ 5
Introducción....................................................................................................................................... 7
Participación Comunitaria .................................................................................................................. 10
Combinando el Conocimiento de la Comunidad con la Experiencia de los Socios ............................ 11
Meta de Acceso a la Energía ............................................................................................................... 12
Acciones para el Acceso a la Energía ................................................................................................... 13
Inversión y Obtención de Financiamiento Adicional / Programas Liderados por la Ciudad .......................... 13
Colaboración con la Comunidad y Sectores Involucrados .................................................................... 14
Políticas y Regulaciones ................................................................................................................. 15
Evaluación del Acceso a la Energía ...................................................................................................... 16
Energía Asequible ........................................................................................................................ 16
Energía Segura y Sostenible .......................................................................................................... 17
Agradecimientos ............................................................................................................................. 18
Referencias .................................................................................................................................... 20
Apéndice ........................................................................................................................................ 22
Tabla de Implementación del Plan de Acceso a la Energía............................................................... 22
Tabla de Indicadores Clave de Desempeño.................................................................................... 23





Carta de la Alcaldesa




Los residentes de Phoenix han comprendido durante mucho tiempo lo que significa vivir con resiliencia.
Aquí, en el corazón del Desierto de Sonora, conocemos los desafíos del calor extremo y la importancia
del acceso a una energía asequible y confiable. A medida que las comunidades de todo el país enfrentan
industrias en rápida evolución y la creciente demanda de energía, Phoenix se compromete a liderar con
innovación y equidad para proteger a nuestras comunidades y prepararnos para un futuro sostenible.

El Plan de Acceso a la Energía refleja este compromiso. Desarrollado con aportes de residentes,
empresas de servicios públicos y socios comunitarios, el plan describe acciones claras para reducir el
impacto energético de los hogares, especialmente para las familias de bajos ingresos que se ven
desproporcionadamente afectadas por el aumento de los costos de energía. Esto no es solo un desafío
financiero; es un asunto de salud pública y calidad de vida que debemos abordar.

En colaboración con las compañías eléctricas y otros socios, Phoenix aumentará la participación en los
programas de energía para personas de bajos ingresos, proporcionará recursos que mejoren la
eficiencia del hogar y fortalecerá nuestras asociaciones para ofrecer soluciones que sean tanto
inmediatas como duraderas.

El Plan de Acceso a la Energía complementa el Plan de Acción Climática de la Ciudad de Phoenix y
nuestro compromiso más amplio de reducir a la mitad las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero
para 2030 y lograr la neutralidad de carbono para 2050. Está basado en datos, enfocado en la equidad, y
tiene la intención de evolucionar para satisfacer las necesidades de un panorama en rápido cambio.

Quiero agradecer a la Oficina de Sostenibilidad, a la Oficina de Programas Ambientales y a todo el
personal de la ciudad y socios comunitarios que hicieron posible este plan. Lo más importante,
agradezco a los residentes que compartieron sus historias, ideas y esperanzas a lo largo del proceso.
Sus voces están en el corazón de este plan.

Juntos, estamos trabajando para asegurar que cada hogar, sin importar su nivel de ingresos, pueda
acceder a la energía asequible y sostenible necesaria para prosperar. Así es como construimos un
Phoenix más fuerte, saludable y equitativo para las generaciones venideras.

Kate Gallego
Mayor, City of Phoenix





Resumen Ejecutivo
El Plan de Acceso a la Energía de la Ciudad de Phoenix representa un paso fundamental hacia la
realización de la visión establecida en el Plan General de 2015 para convertirse en la ciudad desértica
más sostenible del planeta. Se encomendó a la Oficina de Sostenibilidad de la Ciudad de Phoenix la
creación de un plan accionable para la asequibilidad de la energía, con el fin de mantenerse resiliente
frente al calor extremo. Mientras algunos esfuerzos ya están en marcha, este Plan de Acceso a la Energía
(EAP, por sus siglas en inglés) describe las acciones que la Ciudad tomará desde 2025 hasta 2030 para
ayudar a reducir la carga de las facturas de energía de los residentes, reconociendo que la energía
asequible es necesaria para comunidades saludables.

El Plan de Acceso a la Energía combina soluciones impulsadas por la comunidad con la experiencia de
los socios para definir las acciones que la Ciudad de Phoenix tomará para reducir el impacto energético
entre sus residentes. Actualmente, más de 82,345 de los 584,114 hogares de Phoenix enfrentan un
impacto energético alto, gastando el 6 % o más de sus ingresos en energía. Casi todos estos hogares
son de bajos ingresos. 1 Siguiendo el Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 7 de las Naciones Unidas de
“garantizar el acceso a energía asequible, confiable, sostenible y moderna para todos”, Phoenix tiene
como objetivo aumentar la participación de los hogares en programas de energía para personas de
bajos ingresos en un 25 % para 2030.

Este Plan incluye seis acciones que buscan aumentar la participación en programas de energía para
personas de bajos ingresos para 2030 y proporcionar estrategias a largo plazo para la asequibilidad
energética.

1. Ampliar el Programa de Asistencia para la Climatización de la Ciudad de Phoenix: aumentar
la capacidad del Programa de Asistencia para la Climatización para apoyar la eficiencia
energética en comunidades de bajos ingresos

2. Fortalecer la Planificación y los Programas Impulsados por la Comunidad: adoptar una
estrategia multisectorial para abordar la asequibilidad energética que coloque las voces de la
comunidad en el centro del diseño de programas y la toma de decisiones.

3. Ampliar la Educación Energética Multilingüe y Basada en la Comunidad: colaborar con
sectores involucrados y socios comunitarios para mejorar la educación energética

4. Mejorar el Acceso a la Energía Solar y la Protección del Consumidor: buscar oportunidades
solares para hogares de bajos ingresos mientras se mejora la educación; fortalecer las
asociaciones que apoyan las protecciones solares para los consumidores.

5. Ampliar el Desarrollo de la Fuerza Laboral: expandir los caminos hacia el empleo en eficiencia
energética y carreras en energías limpias y renovables.

6. Apoyar las Estructuras de Defensa de la Sostenibilidad: fortalecer las estructuras de
coordinación a nivel de la ciudad y entre organizaciones que apoyan la asequibilidad energética.

Reconociendo que la Ciudad de Phoenix no es un proveedor de servicios eléctricos para los residentes
de Phoenix, las acciones del Plan de Acceso a la Energía fueron creadas con la intención de aprovechar
los recursos gubernamentales de la Ciudad y la experiencia local para aliviar el impacto energético.
Arizona Public Service (APS) y Salt River Project (SRP) son los proveedores de servicios eléctricos para
Phoenix. APS y SRP ambos tienen objetivos de sostenibilidad energética y ofrecen diversos programas
de eficiencia energética y apoyo en las facturas para los clientes. La Ciudad de Phoenix también
continúa mejorando la seguridad y sostenibilidad energética como parte del Plan de Acción Climática y
los Objetivos 2050 de la Ciudad. Además, los objetivos de respuesta ante el calor en interiores y
exteriores se actualizan anualmente en el Plan de Respuesta al Calor de la Ciudad.

El Plan de Acceso a la Energía es un documento complementario al Plan de Acción Climática de la
Ciudad y forma parte del compromiso de la Ciudad con el Pacto Global de Alcaldes y el Grupo de
Liderazgo Climático de Ciudades C40.

La Oficina de Sostenibilidad de la Ciudad de Phoenix lideró los esfuerzos para crear el Plan de Acceso a
la Energía en colaboración con los departamentos de la Ciudad y sectores involucrados. La Oficina de
Sostenibilidad se asoció con la Oficina de Programas Ambientales en varios esfuerzos de participación,
mientras la Ciudad actualiza el Plan de Acción Climática y el Plan de Acción Alimentaria. La
participación pública a través de seminarios virtuales, talleres comunitarios, una encuesta en línea,
visitas puerta a puerta y presencia en eventos comunitarios fue fundamental para informar este Plan y
dar forma al enfoque de la Ciudad para aliviar el impacto energético.





Introducción
El clima cálido de Phoenix plantea una necesidad única de enfriamiento interior. Durante los meses más
calurosos, los habitantes de Phoenix dependen de espacios interiores frescos para mantenerse seguros
y cómodos. La falta de un enfriamiento interior adecuado en el hogar presenta graves riesgos para la
salud, como el empeoramiento de enfermedades respiratorias, aumento del estrés y la ansiedad, un
rendimiento escolar deficiente, impacto negativo en las oportunidades laborales e incluso la muerte por
calor en interiores. La Ciudad de Phoenix reconoce la conexión entre la asequibilidad de la energía y
la salud y ha creado acciones que contribuyen a reducir el impacto de las facturas de energía y
sacar a los residentes de la pobreza energética.

La pobreza energética describe una situación en la que un hogar no tiene acceso a la energía necesaria o
no puede costearla para cubrir necesidades esenciales como el enfriamiento, la calefacción y la
cocción de alimentos. Esto a menudo se mide a través del impacto energético, que es el porcentaje del
ingreso de un hogar destinado a las facturas de energía. Según el Consejo Americano para una
Economía de Eficiencia Energética, los hogares que gastan más del 6 % de su ingreso en facturas de
energía enfrentan un impacto energético alto; si es más del 10 %, se considera un impacto energético
severo. Por ejemplo, si el ingreso mensual de un hogar es de $2,500 y paga $150 o más en facturas de
electricidad al mes, está experimentando un impacto energético alto. Más allá de esta medición, el
impacto energético también se refleja en experiencias vividas, como retrasar el uso del aire
acondicionado, recibir avisos de corte de electricidad, cocinar al aire libre para evitar calentar la casa o
carecer de acceso a electrodomésticos eficientes.

Los hogares de bajos ingresos
constituyen el 96 % de todos
los hogares de Phoenix que
experimentan un impacto
energético alto. 2 Los hogares de
bajos ingresos se definen como
aquellos con ingresos entre el
0 % y el 200 % del Nivel Federal
de Pobreza, lo que significa que
ganan al nivel del umbral de
Figura 1. La Oficina de Programas Ambientales y la Oficina de
pobreza o hasta el doble por
Sostenibilidad de la Ciudad de Phoenix, en colaboración con Pinnacle
debajo de este. Los hogares de Prevention, completaron una encuesta comunitaria sobre el Plan de
bajos ingresos enfrentan un Acción de Clima, Energía y Alimentos en 2025. 3 de cada 10 participantes
riesgo particularmente alto ante de la encuesta informaron que recibieron un aviso de desconexión de su
factura de energía en los últimos 12 meses.
los impactos negativos del
impacto energético, ya que tienen
dificultades para pagar sus
facturas de energía o no pueden permitirse reparar, reemplazar o instalar unidades de aire

acondicionado (AC). El impacto energético puede obligar a los hogares a tomar la decisión imposible de
elegir qué facturas esenciales pagar, como el alquiler, transporte, agua, alimentos o facturas médicas,
por ejemplo. Debido a las peligrosas condiciones de calor en Phoenix durante el verano, los hogares de
bajos ingresos pueden priorizar el aire acondicionado sobre otras necesidades para combatir el calor
interior. 3 Estas situaciones pueden contribuir a la inestabilidad habitacional, aumentando el riesgo de
desalojo y desplazamiento por pagos atrasados o no realizados. En Phoenix, los hogares de bajos
ingresos esperan en promedio de cuatro a siete grados Fahrenheit más para encender el aire
acondicionado en comparación con los hogares de altos ingresos, lo que muestra que los hogares de
bajos ingresos enfrentan temperaturas interiores más incómodas, lo que podría afectar negativamente
la salud y la calidad de vida. 4 En 2023, prácticamente todas las muertes relacionadas con el calor en
interiores en el condado de Maricopa ocurrieron en hogares donde el aire acondicionado no
funcionaba, no se utilizaba o no estaba presente. 5 Abordar la pobreza energética no se trata solo de
reducir las facturas; se trata de proteger la salud, reducir el estrés y garantizar que todos los residentes
puedan vivir de manera segura y cómoda en sus hogares.

El impacto energético se
determina por la cantidad que un
hogar gasta en facturas de
energía, así como por los
ingresos del hogar; por lo tanto,
las estrategias para reducir este
impacto pueden enfocarse en
cualquiera de estos factores.
Apoyar programas de asistencia
energética, incluyendo apoyo Figura 2. Una proporción significativa de las muertes relacionadas con el
en las facturas y servicios de calor en interiores reportadas en el Condado de Maricopa (2024) mostró una
falta de acceso suficiente a ambientes interiores frescos. Fuente: Rubio et
eficiencia energética, es una
al., Informe sobre Muertes Relacionadas con el Calor, 2024.
estrategia para ayudar a
reducir la cantidad que un hogar gasta en facturas
de energía. La asistencia en las facturas es una acción
inmediata para aliviar el impacto energético a corto
plazo. Debido a que el impacto energético es solo un
aspecto de las disparidades socioeconómicas que
enfrentan las comunidades altamente afectadas, es
vital que existan programas para asistir de manera
inmediata a los hogares y evitar que las facturas se
Figura 3. Respuestas de la encuesta comunitaria del Plan de Acción sobre Clima, Energía y acumulen y
Alimentos a las preguntas sobre limitar el uso de energía para ahorrar dinero. Las respuestas creen una
"Otras" incluyen participantes que explican las estrategias que utilizan para reducir su consumo
situación
de energía, por ejemplo, evitando usar electrodomésticos durante las horas pico (de 4 a 7 PM).
financiera

más grave. Los servicios de eficiencia energética son acciones a largo plazo que permiten a los hogares
usar menos energía para mantenerse más frescos en el verano y más cálidos en el invierno. Como
resultado, la eficiencia energética reduce las facturas de energía y apoya la comodidad y la salud de los
miembros del hogar. Más allá de la eficiencia energética, otro enfoque a largo plazo para disminuir
el impacto energético es mediante el apoyo a iniciativas de desarrollo laboral para aumentar la
estabilidad de ingresos y fortalecer las vías hacia el empleo en los mercados de trabajo de
eficiencia energética y energía limpia y renovable. Es importante que la Ciudad parta de la situación
actual de las personas y planifique para el futuro, teniendo en cuenta tanto las necesidades inmediatas
como las de largo plazo de los residentes con el fin de lograr una verdadera resiliencia y sostenibilidad.

El Plan de Acceso a la Energía sirve como una herramienta de política para la Ciudad de Phoenix para
abordar el acceso a la energía en lo que respecta a la asequibilidad. Aunque la Ciudad de Phoenix no es
un proveedor de servicios eléctricos, puede aprovechar su influencia, asociaciones con servicios
públicos locales, relaciones con organizaciones comunitarias, canales de comunicación con partes
interesadas regionales y el Programa de Asistencia para la Climatización interno para contribuir a los
esfuerzos del Plan. La capacidad de poner en primer plano las experiencias vividas de los miembros de
la comunidad en las conversaciones y acciones sobre energía equipa de manera única a la Ciudad para
facilitar el acceso a la energía. En todo el país, otras ciudades también están aplicando su
experiencia local para crear documentos de política de acceso a la energía similares, incluyendo la
Hoja de Ruta de Equidad Energética Residencial de la Ciudad de Tempe, la Estrategia de Alivio de la
Pobreza Energética de la Ciudad de Filadelfia y el informe sobre el Impacto Energético de la Ciudad
de Cincinnati. 678





Participación Comunitaria
La participación comunitaria ha sido fundamental en la creación del Plan de Acceso a la Energía. Se
reconoce que las experiencias vividas y compartidas por los miembros de la comunidad son esenciales
para comprender el impacto energético en Phoenix y desarrollar un plan que refleje las necesidades
locales. La Oficina de Sostenibilidad (OOS, por sus siglas en inglés) está comprometida a involucrarse
activamente con los residentes y miembros de la comunidad en toda la ciudad para desarrollar un Plan
de Acceso a la Energía equitativo e inclusivo, que aborde la asequibilidad energética y el impacto
energético que enfrentan los residentes de Phoenix. Los esfuerzos de participación de la OOS se han
guiado por los siguientes tres principios:

1. Informar a la Comunidad. La OOS está comprometida a asegurar que los residentes de
Phoenix estén bien informados sobre el propósito, metas y alcance del Plan de Acceso a la
Energía. A través de presentaciones, talleres y comunicaciones públicas, la oficina busca
fomentar la conciencia y la transparencia durante todo el proceso del EAP.
2. Consultar y Recopilar Ideas a través de Voces Comunitarias. La OOS reconoce el papel
vital del liderazgo comunitario en la creación de soluciones energéticas equitativas y
efectivas. Sus esfuerzos se han enfocado en recopilar experiencias, percepciones e ideas de
los residentes sobre el impacto energético. Mediante actividades facilitadas, la OOS ha
consultado y solicitado aportes sobre cómo lograr mayor asequibilidad energética. La oficina
está comprometida a mantener un diálogo continuo que fomente la retroalimentación y
colaboración constante.
3. Incorporar Aportes Comunitarios. Las ideas y recomendaciones reunidas en talleres,
seminarios web y reuniones consultivas informan directamente las estrategias y acciones del
Plan de Acceso a la Energía. Aunque la OOS reconoce que no todos los comentarios pueden
implementarse, especialmente si están fuera del alcance de la autoridad de la Ciudad, sigue
comprometida a integrar los aportes comunitarios siempre que sea posible.

En colaboración con la Oficina de Programas Ambientales de la Ciudad de Phoenix y las organizaciones
comunitarias Pinnacle Prevention y Unlimited Potential, la OOS llevó a cabo actividades de divulgación,
una encuesta en línea, participó en eventos comunitarios y organizó 10 talleres bilingües (en inglés y
español) en toda la ciudad de Phoenix para informar el EAP. Los talleres, con una duración de 1.5 horas,
incluyeron discusiones, actividades artísticas y dinámicas de votación, donde los participantes
compartieron sus experiencias y perspectivas sobre las barreras y soluciones relacionadas con la
asequibilidad energética.





A lo largo de la serie de talleres comunitarios del Plan de Acceso a la Energía 2025, la OOS recopiló
comentarios de los participantes en forma de collages, comentarios escritos, testimonios y notas de los
facilitadores. Todos los comentarios
fueron organizados por temas para
comprender las prioridades de los
residentes. La Figura 4 presenta los doce
temas principales que surgieron de la
serie de talleres. Esta organización
refleja el interés de la comunidad en
programas energéticos eficaces, las
experiencias comunitarias relacionadas
con la modificación de comportamientos
para sobrellevar el calor en interiores, y
las reflexiones comunitarias sobre
preocupaciones relacionadas con el
costo de vida.

Las acciones definidas en este Plan de Acceso Figura 2. Comentarios recopilados de los participantes a lo
a la Energía surgieron principalmente de los largo de la serie de talleres del EAP, organizados por temas
principales. Los programas de energía, la modificación de
comentarios de la comunidad durante este
comportamientos y el costo de vida fueron algunos de los
proceso de participación, considerando la temas que recibieron más comentarios por parte de los
viabilidad, escalabilidad e impacto de las participantes; sin embargo, vale la pena destacar la variedad
propuestas. La OOS elaboró un Informe de de temas que surgieron en las conversaciones sobre la
asequibilidad energética.
Participación Comunitaria del Plan de Acceso
a la Energía, el cual detalla exhaustivamente el proceso de participación comunitaria, el formato de los
talleres comunitarios y los hallazgos obtenidos a partir de los esfuerzos de participación de la Oficina.

Combinando el Conocimiento de la Comunidad con la Experiencia de los Socios
La OOS colaboró con varios departamentos de la Ciudad para evaluar la viabilidad de las acciones.
Durante este proceso, las acciones fueron evaluadas en función de las limitaciones de tiempo, las
capacidades organizativas y programáticas, el alcance de influencia y la disponibilidad de
financiamiento. La OOS mantiene su compromiso de continuar esta colaboración interdepartamental
para medir el progreso y apoyar la implementación de las acciones definidas. Esta colaboración ofrece
el mayor potencial de impacto, escalabilidad y alineación con el objetivo de aumentar la participación
en programas energéticos para personas de bajos ingresos.

Para medir la participación en estos programas y evaluar su efectividad, la Ciudad de Phoenix participó
en el programa “Energy to Communities” del Laboratorio Nacional de Energías Renovables (NREL,
por sus siglas en inglés). La participación en este programa continuará durante la implementación del



Plan de Acceso a la Energía, con el fin de guiar la forma en que la Ciudad recopila datos sobre programas
energéticos y diseña estrategias para su mejora.


Meta de Acceso a la Energía
En alineación con el Marco Común de Reporte del Pacto Global de Alcaldes (GCoM) y el compromiso de
la Ciudad de Phoenix para abordar la asequibilidad energética, se ha establecido una meta para reducir
el impacto energético mediante el aumento de la participación en programas de asistencia energética.

El 15 de enero de 2025, el Concejo Municipal de Phoenix aprobó una meta para incrementar en un 25%
la participación en programas de asistencia energética para el año 2030.

Tabla 1. Meta aprobada por el Concejo Municipal para el Plan de Acceso a la Energía.

Atributo Meta Línea Base
Energía Aumentar en un 25% la participación de los hogares en 72,074 hogares participaron
Asequible programas de asistencia energética para personas de en programas de asistencia
bajos ingresos para 2030, con el fin de reducir el impacto en 2024
energético en la Ciudad de Phoenix.

La estrategia de esta meta es abordar los desafíos programáticos que limitan la eficiencia de los
programas energéticos y que impiden que los hogares con impacto energético puedan participar en
ellos. Los programas energéticos incluidos en esta meta se refieren tanto a Programas de Asistencia
para el Pago de Facturas de Energía, como el Programa de Asistencia de Energía para Hogares de
Bajos Ingresos (LIHEAP), la Asistencia de Factura en Situación de Crisis de APS y el Plan de Tarifas
Económicas de SRP. También se incluyen Programas de Eficiencia Energética, tales como: el
Programa de Asistencia para la Climatización (WAP), el Programa de Reembolsos para la Electrificación
del Hogar y Electrodomésticos (HEAR) y el Programa de Reembolsos por Eficiencia del Hogar (HOMES).

La Ciudad de Phoenix reconoce que aumentar la participación en programas energéticos para personas
de bajos ingresos no es, por sí solo, una solución completa para abordar la pobreza energética; sin
embargo, esta meta es fundamental para garantizar que los hogares que necesitan apoyo energético
puedan acceder a los recursos que alivian su impacto energético. Es responsabilidad de la Ciudad
utilizar sus herramientas de política pública, alianzas comunitarias, capacidades de asistencia técnica y
su cercanía con los miembros de la comunidad para implementar acciones que permitan alcanzar esta
meta, las cuales están fundamentadas principalmente en los aportes comunitarios sobre las barreras y
soluciones relacionadas con la asequibilidad energética. Las políticas identificadas en el Plan de
Acceso a la Energía de la Ciudad de Phoenix están guiadas por la participación comunitaria para servir
de la mejor manera posible a los residentes.





Acciones para el Acceso a la Energía
La Oficina de Sostenibilidad es responsable de promover la equidad energética en Phoenix. Las
acciones del Plan de Acceso a la Energía tienen como objetivo aumentar la participación de los hogares
en programas energéticos para personas de bajos ingresos, al mismo tiempo que consideran estrategias
a largo plazo para reducir la pobreza energética. Las acciones del plan se agrupan en las siguientes
áreas de enfoque:

Inversión y Obtención de Financiamiento Adicional / Programas Liderados por la Ciudad– Buscar y
asignar financiamiento adicional para programas existentes de la Ciudad que apoyen la asequibilidad
energética.

Colaboración con Sectores Involucrados– Asociarse con organizaciones comunitarias y miembros de
la comunidad para fortalecer los vínculos comunitarios y asegurar que se aborden eficazmente las
prioridades locales.

Políticas y Regulación– Utilizar la influencia local para amplificar las prioridades de asequibilidad
energética de los residentes mediante intervenciones políticas y regulatorias.

Cada acción incluye una descripción de cómo se alcanzará la meta, la identificación del responsable
principal dentro de la Ciudad encargado de implementar y reportar sobre la acción, así como la
identificación de los socios que colaboran en su implementación.

Inversión y Obtención de Financiamiento Adicional / Programas Liderados por la
Ciudad
EAP 1.1 Ampliar el Programa de Asistencia para la Climatización de la Ciudad de Phoenix.
La Ciudad buscará oportunidades adicionales para ampliar el Programa de Asistencia para la
Meteorología en apoyo a las renovaciones de eficiencia energética en comunidades de bajos ingresos.
Las oportunidades adicionales incluyen servicios de apoyo, subvenciones y otras fuentes de
financiamiento. Los servicios de climatización pueden incluir sellado de aire, iluminación eficiente,
electrodomésticos de alta eficiencia, reparación o reemplazo de HVAC, evaluaciones energéticas del
hogar, entre otros. EAP 1.1 se alinea con la acción SES 2.1 del Plan de Acción Climática de “Proveer
servicios y productos para mejorar y promover la provisión de residencias y vecindarios seguros,
eficientes, sostenibles y asequibles”.

LIDER DE LA CIUDAD // Departamento de Servicios Vecinales

SOCIOS // Oficina de Sostenibilidad, APS, SRP, Departamento de Vivienda del Estado de Arizona





Colaboración con la Comunidad y Sectores Involucrados
EAP 2.1 Fortalecer la Planificación y los Programas Impulsados por la Comunidad.
La Ciudad continuará utilizando un enfoque de planificación impulsado por la comunidad, centrando las
voces de los residentes en el diseño de programas y la toma de decisiones. Esto implica incluir a
organizaciones comunitarias y miembros de la comunidad para garantizar la relevancia cultural y la
accesibilidad, así como utilizar métodos participativos y mantener la transparencia a través de
actualizaciones regulares como iniciativas cocreadas. La Ciudad adoptará una estrategia multisectorial
que conecte la asequibilidad energética con la salud, la calidad de la vivienda, el agua y el calor
extremo, continuando con la consolidación de los esfuerzos de participación y utilizando las redes de
referencia cruzada de programas de asistencia.

LIDER DE LA CIUDAD // Oficina de Sostenibilidad

SOCIOS // Todos los Departamentos, Organizaciones Sin Fines de Lucro, Organizaciones Comunitarias



EAP 2.2 Ampliar la Educación Energética Multilingüe y Basada en la Comunidad.
La Ciudad mejorará la educación sobre energía creando materiales y esfuerzos de divulgación
culturalmente relevantes que vayan más allá del inglés y el español. Los esfuerzos colaborativos
incluyen la organización de talleres presenciales sobre asistencia financiera y temas de asequibilidad
energética, el lanzamiento de campañas en redes sociales, la facilitación de seminarios web en los
idiomas preferidos por la comunidad y la colaboración con escuelas para integrar la educación sobre
energía en programas para jóvenes.

LIDER DE LA CIUDAD // Oficina de Sostenibilidad

SOCIOS // Oficina de Comunicaciones, Oficina de Programas Ambientales, Departamento de Agua,
Oficina del Administrador Municipal, Oficina del Concejo Municipal, APS, SRP, Distritos Escolares de
Phoenix, Organizaciones Sin Fines de Lucro, Organizaciones Comunitarias




EAP 2.3 Mejorar el Acceso a la Energía Solar y la Protección del Consumidor.
La Ciudad buscará oportunidades solares para hogares de bajos ingresos mientras mejora la educación
del consumidor y las protecciones correspondientes. Esto incluye construir programas piloto, asociarse
con organizaciones sin fines de lucro de confianza para compartir listas de proveedores verificados y
recursos de protección al consumidor, y ofrecer talleres sobre preparación y financiamiento solar.
Explorar modelos innovadores de asociaciones entre servicios públicos y organizaciones sin fines de
lucro puede ayudar a reducir las barreras de adopción, prevenir fraudes y apoyar la toma de decisiones

informadas. EAP 2.3 se alinea con la acción SES2.3 del Plan de Acción Climática para “Abogar
fuertemente por sistemas de energía solar distribuidos (solar en tejados y estacionamientos) y por una
red eléctrica más limpia, con más instalaciones solares a gran escala”.

LIDER DE LA CIUDAD // Oficina de Sostenibilidad

SOCIOS // Oficina de Relaciones Gubernamentales, Oficina del Administrador Municipal, Condado de
Maricopa, Oficina de Resiliencia de la Gobernadora de Arizona, APS, SRP, Organizaciones Sin Fines de
Lucro, Organizaciones Comunitarias



EAP 2.4 Ampliar el Desarrollo de la Fuerza Laboral.
Para construir una fuerza laboral energética diversa y capacitada, la Ciudad fomentará la conciencia
sobre las carreras relacionadas con la energía compartiendo información sobre oportunidades de
empleo, subvenciones, incentivos y programas de capacitación. Ampliar las iniciativas de desarrollo de
la fuerza laboral y asociarse con organizaciones sin fines de lucro fortalecerá los caminos hacia el
empleo en eficiencia energética y en mercados laborales de energía limpia y renovable.

LIDER DE LA CIUDAD // Community and Economic Development Department

SOCIOS // Oficina de Relaciones Gubernamentales, Oficina de Sostenibilidad, Colegios Comunitarios
de Maricopa, Distritos Escolares de Phoenix, APS, SRP



Políticas y Regulaciones
EAP 3.1 Apoyar las Estructuras de Defensa de la Sostenibilidad.
La Ciudad continuará apoyando y amplificando las voces de los residentes mediante asociaciones
estratégicas y una participación inclusiva a través de múltiples sectores, incluidos energía, vivienda y
salud. Al colaborar con organizaciones de defensa y agencias gubernamentales, la Ciudad puede ayudar
a promover los derechos de los inquilinos, la regulación de la energía solar, supervisar los
procedimientos de revisión de tarifas y ampliar el acceso a programas energéticos, mientras trabaja
dentro de su capacidad.

LIDER DE LA CIUDAD // Oficina de Relaciones Gubernamentales y Oficina de Sostenibilidad

SOCIOS // Comisión Corporativa de Arizona(ACC), Oficina de Resiliencia de la Gobernadora de Arizona,
Oficina del Consumidor Residencial de Servicios Públicos (RUCO), Condado de Maricopa,
Organizaciones Sin Fines de Lucro, Organizaciones Comunitarias





Evaluación del Acceso a la Energía
El Plan de Acceso a la Energía se basa en una comprensión clara de cómo los residentes de Phoenix
utilizan la energía en sus hogares y comunidades. Para apoyar este trabajo, la Ciudad de Phoenix realizó
una evaluación de acceso a la energía para evaluar tres áreas clave: asequibilidad, confiabilidad y
sostenibilidad. Esta evaluación siguió las mejores prácticas internacionales, incluyendo la orientación
de GCoM y del Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 7 de las Naciones Unidas: “Garantizar el acceso a una
energía asequible, fiable, sostenible y moderna para todos.”

La evaluación de acceso a la energía que se detalla a continuación concluye que Phoenix tiene acceso a
una red eléctrica segura y a fuentes de energía sostenibles, pero muestra que Phoenix carece en gran
medida de acceso a energía asequible, especialmente entre los hogares de bajos ingresos, según lo
indica el análisis de la Ciudad utilizando la Herramienta de Datos de Asequibilidad Energética para
Personas de Bajos Ingresos (LEAD, por sus siglas en Inglés) del Departamento de Energía de EE. UU.

Energía Asequible
El medio ambiente, la economía y la
accesibilidad equitativa trabajan juntos
como pilares críticos de la
sostenibilidad. Con el acceso a una
energía segura y sostenible garantizado,
la asequibilidad se presenta como el
aspecto del acceso energético que la
Ciudad debe priorizar. Para evaluar la
asequibilidad energética, la Ciudad
calculó cuántos hogares destinan más
del 6% de sus ingresos a servicios de
energía, lo que se considera un alto
impacto energético. En Phoenix hay
más de quinientos mil hogares, y según
la herramienta LEAD, 82,345 de ellos
enfrentan un alto impacto energético.
De estos, el 96% son hogares de bajos
ingresos. 9 En total hay 150,783 hogares
de bajos ingresos en Phoenix, lo que
significa que más de la mitad de ellos
experimentan un alto impacto Figura 5. El mapa de Phoenix muestra la concentración de
hogares que experimentan un impacto energético alto en toda la
energético. Al analizar específicamente
ciudad por sector censal. Las tonalidades de azul más oscuras
las casas móviles, se observa que casi indican una mayor concentración de hogares con impacto
el 90% de aquellas con alto impacto energético. Fuente: Ma & Vimont, 2024.


energético también pertenecen a hogares de bajos ingresos. Reconociendo que un alto impacto
energético en poblaciones financieramente vulnerables puede aumentar los riesgos para la salud y la
seguridad, el Plan de Acceso a la Energía de la Ciudad de Phoenix prioriza el apoyo a la asequibilidad
energética, especialmente entre los miembros de la comunidad de bajos ingresos.

Energía Segura y Sostenible
La energía segura se midió utilizando el porcentaje de la población de Phoenix con acceso a la
electricidad. Según el Banco Mundial y otras instituciones, el 100% de la población en Estados Unidos
tiene acceso seguro a la electricidad. 10 La totalidad de Phoenix tiene acceso a una red eléctrica
confiable, proporcionada por dos compañías: Arizona Public Service (APS) y Salt River Project (SRP). Los
métodos para medir la seguridad energética incluyen la frecuencia de los cortes de energía (con qué
frecuencia), la duración (cuánto tiempo) y la extensión (áreas afectadas). 11 APS informa una interrupción
anual promedio de 87,2 minutos en 2024. 12 Los resultados del desempeño de la red de SRP en 2023
muestran una interrupción media anual de 70,0 minutos. 13

La energía sostenible significa el acceso a fuentes de energía limpias y renovables para reducir las
emisiones de carbono que contribuyen al cambio climático. Las fuentes de energía renovables
provienen de recursos naturales que se reponen más rápido de lo que se utilizan, a diferencia de los
combustibles fósiles (carbón, petróleo y gas), que se consumen más rápido de lo que se regeneran. 14 La
energía limpia se refiere a fuentes de energía que generan pocas o ninguna emisión de gases de efecto
invernadero en comparación con las fuentes de energía de combustibles fósiles, que producen grandes
cantidades de gases de efecto invernadero. 15 La ciudad midió la energía sostenible calculando el
porcentaje de hogares en Phoenix con acceso a combustibles y tecnologías de cocina limpia. Según el
Informe de Progreso Energético 2021 para el Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 7, el 100 % de los hogares
de Phoenix tienen acceso a combustibles y tecnologías de cocina limpia. 16 Un análisis más detallado del
atributo de energía sostenible muestra que la región de Arizona–Nuevo México utiliza el 15,2%
(2.614.248 MWh) de su electricidad a partir de fuentes de energía renovable, incluyendo hidroeléctrica,
biomasa, eólica, solar y geotérmica. 17 Para reducir las emisiones de carbono, ambas compañías de
servicios públicos han establecido metas para impulsar la transición energética hacia fuentes de
energía limpias y renovables. En 2025, APS actualizó su meta para ser neutral en carbono para 2050,
manteniendo una mezcla energética diversa proveniente de varias fuentes mientras busca compensar
sus emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. 18 APS también ofrece un plan de energía renovable a sus
clientes y promueve varios programas de eficiencia energética. 19 El plan de sostenibilidad de SRP
incluye objetivos para reducir las emisiones de carbono en un 82 % para 2035 y alcanzar emisiones
netas de carbono cero para 2050, eliminando del mismo modo la cantidad de emisiones que producen
en la atmósfera. 20 SRP también ofrece varios programas de eficiencia energética, incluidos para clientes
de bajos ingresos. 21





Agradecimientos
La Oficina de Sostenibilidad de la Ciudad de Phoenix agradece a los siguientes colaboradores que
dedicaron su tiempo, esfuerzo, conocimientos y experiencia para ayudar a crear el Plan de Acceso a la
Energía, el cual se centra en soluciones impulsadas por la comunidad para crear un futuro más
sostenible y equitativo en materia de energía.

Miembros del Concejo Municipal ORISE Fellowship
Kate Gallego, Alcaldesa Jorge Morales Guerrero
Ann O’Brien, Vicealcaldesa y Concejala, Distrito 1
Jim Waring, Concejal, Distrito 2 FUSE Executive Fellowship
Debra Stark, Concejala, Distrito 3 TrixieAnn Golberg
Laura Pastor, Concejala, Distrito 4
Betty Guardado, Concejala, Distrito 5 Mandela Washington Fellowship
Kevin Robinson, Concejal, Distrito 6 Thomo Lekagane
Anna Hernandez, Concejala, Distrito 7
Kesha Hodge Washington, Concejala, Distrito 8 Unlimited Potential
Emma Viera
Oficina del Admistrador de la Ciudad Gabriela Hernandez
Ed Zuercher, Admistrador de la Ciudad Tawsha Trahan
Jeff Barton, (retirado), Admistrador de la Ciudad Masavi Perea
Ginger Spencer, Subgerente de la Ciudad
Mario Paniagua, (retirado), Subgerente de la Ciudad Pinnacle Prevention
Alan Stephenson, Subgerente de la Ciudad Adrienne Udarbe
Kenneth Steel
Oficina de Sostenibilidad Jessie Gruner
Carla De La Chapa
Carlos Aguiar Hernandez Arizona State University
Luz Jimenez Hanna Breetz
Karen Apple Mokshda Kaul
Nathan Svenson Andrea Cordoba
Lahayla Curiel Patricia Solis
Sonia Gordon (intern) Elizabeth Wentz
Adam Shealy
Oficina de Programas Ambientales Morgan Degroff
Nancy Allen Grant Buresh
Joshua M Uebelherr David Hertzberg
Rosanne Albright Lauren Johnston
Madeline M Mercer
Karen Ibarra Colaboradores de Servicios Públicos
Ariel LeBarron Salt River Project
Arizona Public Service
Departamentos de la Ciudad de Phoenix
Oficina de la Alcaldesa, Oficina del Concejo Municipal, Oficina Asistencia Técnica
del Administrador de la Ciudad, Oficina de Artes y Cultura, Oficina National Renewable Energy Laboratory
de Comunicaciones, Desarrollo Comunitario y Económico, Global Covenant of Mayors
Oficina de Programas Ambientales, Departamento de Igualdad de GLOBO Interpreting Services
Oportunidad, Oficina de Relaciones Gubernamentales, Oficina de
Respuesta y Mitigación del Calor, Departamento de Viviendas, Colaboradores Regionales y Nacionales

Departamento de Servicios Humanos, Departamento de Ley, Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency
Biblioteca Pública de Phoenix, Departamento de Servicios de ICLEI RTRC 2025 Cohort
Vecindario, Departamento de Parques y Recreación, Ciudad de Tempe
Departamento de Planificación y Desarrollo, Oficina de Salud Ciudad de Philadelphia
Pública, Departamento de Servicios de Agua Wildfire AZ

Nos gustaría dar un agradecimiento especial a todos los residentes de Phoenix que compartieron sus
experiencias con la Ciudad, sin los cuales este trabajo no sería posible.

Las citas de los residentes e imágenes incluidas en este documento fueron compartidas durante la Serie
de Talleres del Plan de Acceso a la Energía completada en 2025. Todas las citas de los residentes
incluidas han sido traducidas al idioma del documento si no fueron compartidas originalmente en el
idioma del documento.





Referencias
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.
Ibid.
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.
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.
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.
Escobar, Andy. City of Tempe Residential Energy Equity Roadmap. City of Tempe, 2025.
https://www.tempe.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/112718/638804909661470000.
Alleviating Energy Poverty in Philadelphia. City of Philadelphia, 2024.
https://www.phila.gov/media/20240701150359/Energy-Poverty-Alleviation-Strategy-Final.pdf.
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.
Ma, Ookie, and Aaron Vimont. Low-Income Energy Affordability Data-LEAD Tool-2022 Update. DOE
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Apéndice
Tabla de Implementación del Plan de Acceso a la Energía
Área de Enfoque Acción Líder de la Ciudad Socios
EAP 1.1 Ampliar el
Inversión y Obtención
Programa de Oficina de Sostenibilidad, APS, SRP,
de Financiamiento Departamento de
Asistencia para la Departamento de Vivienda del Estado de
Adicional / Programas Servicios Vecinales
Climatización de la Arizona
Liderados por la Ciudad
Ciudad de Phoenix.
EAP 2.1 Fortalecer la
Planificación y los Todos los Departamentos, Organizaciones
Oficina de
Programas Sin Fines de Lucro, Organizaciones
Sostenibilidad
Impulsados por la Comunitarias
Comunidad.
Oficina de Comunicaciones, Oficina de
Programas Ambientales, Departamento
EAP 2.2 Ampliar la
de Agua, Oficina del Administrador
Educación Energética Oficina de
Municipal, Oficina del Concejo Municipal,
Multilingüe y Basada Sostenibilidad
APS, SRP, Distritos Escolares de Phoenix,
Colaboración con la en la Comunidad.
Organizaciones Sin Fines de Lucro,
Comunidad y Sectores Organizaciones Comunitarias
Involucrados Oficina de Relaciones Gubernamentales,
EAP 2.3 Mejorar el Oficina del Administrador Municipal,
Acceso a la Energía Oficina de Condado de Maricopa, Oficina de
Solar y la Protección Sostenibilidad Resiliencia de la Gobernadora de Arizona,
del Consumidor. APS, SRP, Organizaciones Sin Fines de
Lucro, Organizaciones Comunitarias
Departamento de Oficina de Relaciones Gubernamentales,
EAP 2.4 Ampliar el
Desarrollo Oficina de Sostenibilidad, Colegios
Desarrollo de la
Comunitario y Comunitarios de Maricopa, Distritos
Fuerza Laboral.
Económico Escolares de Phoenix, APS, SRP
Comisión Corporativa de Arizona(ACC),
Oficina de Resiliencia de la Gobernadora
EAP 3.1 Apoyar las Oficina de Relaciones
de Arizona, Oficina del Consumidor
Estructuras de Gubernamentales y
Políticas y Regulaciones Residencial de Servicios Públicos (RUCO),
Defensa de la Oficina de
Condado de Maricopa, Organizaciones Sin
Sostenibilidad. Sostenibilidad
Fines de Lucro, Organizaciones
Comunitarias





Tabla de Indicadores Clave de Desempeño
Área de Enfoque Acción Indicadores de Impacto


Inversión y Obtención de EAP 1.1 Ampliar el Programa
Número adicional de hogares climatizados
Financiamiento Adicional / de Asistencia para la
Número de hogares inscritos
Programas Liderados por la Climatización de la Ciudad de
Cantidad de financiación externa asegurada
Ciudad Phoenix.


Número de organizaciones comunitarias
involucradas

Número de departamentos de la ciudad que
EAP 2.1 Fortalecer la
Colaboración con la Comunidad participan
Planificación y los Programas
y Sectores Involucrados
Impulsados por la Comunidad.
Número de actividades de participación
comunitaria, talleres y sesiones de escucha

Número de participantes o residentes apoyados
Número de actividades de participación
comunitaria, talleres y sesiones de escucha

Número de participantes o residentes apoyados

Número de idiomas utilizados en materiales y
EAP 2.2 Ampliar la Educación
Colaboración con la Comunidad eventos
Energética Multilingüe y
y Sectores Involucrados
Basada en la Comunidad.
Número de materiales culturalmente relevantes
creados

Número de interacciones en redes sociales

Número de colaboraciones con escuelas
Número de colaboraciones con organizaciones
sin fines de lucro de confianza

Creación de lista de proveedores solares
EAP 2.3 Mejorar el Acceso a la
Colaboración con la Comunidad preferidos
Energía Solar y la Protección
y Sectores Involucrados
del Consumidor.
Número de actividades de participación
comunitaria, talleres y sesiones de escucha

Número de programas piloto





Número de programas ofrecidos para el
desarrollo de la fuerza laboral

Número de eventos que comparten información
sobre oportunidades laborales, subvenciones,
Colaboración con la Comunidad EAP 2.4 Scale Up Workforce incentivos y programas de capacitación
y Sectores Involucrados Development.
Número de colaboraciones para ampliar las
iniciativas de desarrollo laboral

Monto de financiamiento externo para el
desarrollo de la fuerza laboral
Número de organizaciones de defensa
involucradas
EAP 3.1 Support Sustainability
Policies & Regulation
Advocacy Structures.
Número de procesos de revisión de tarifas
comentados