Many households in the United States face unaffordable energy bills, potentially forcing them to make tradeoffs between energy and other necessities. This situation, known as “energy poverty,” can negatively impact health and economic opportunity. Governments and utilities can take a range of actions to advance an equitable and affordable energy future. This topic brief surveys the current landscape of government and utility approaches to increasing energy affordability. Based on interviews with staff of governments and utilities taking action on this issue, it also provides lessons learned that can help other jurisdictions increase access to affordable energy.
