Clean Energy Support Remains Strong as Customers Prioritize Economic, Health and Energy Security Benefits
Support for clean energy initiatives remains resilient among U.S. electric utility customers, even as many express growing concerns about the future reliability of the nation’s power supply. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Sustainability Index, most customers now view sustainability through a practical lens, emphasizing the economic, health and energy security advantages of clean energy rather than focusing solely on environmental protection. The findings suggest that utilities that effectively communicate their sustainability strategies and demonstrate visible progress toward clean energy goals are more likely to earn customer trust, strengthen satisfaction levels and improve their overall brand reputation.
The report highlights an evolving customer mindset in which sustainability has become closely connected with affordability, public health and long-term energy resilience. While concerns about electricity availability continue to rise as demand increases across the United States, customers are not abandoning support for clean energy. Instead, many believe investments in cleaner energy technologies can help create a stronger and more reliable energy future.
Customers Concerned About Future Power Availability
One of the report’s notable findings is the growing concern regarding future electricity supply. More than half of electric utility customers—54%—said they are worried about whether sufficient power will be available to meet future demand.
The concern reflects ongoing discussions across the energy sector surrounding rapidly increasing electricity consumption driven by population growth, expanding electrification, artificial intelligence data centers, electric vehicle adoption and industrial development. Utilities throughout the country are investing billions of dollars in grid modernization, renewable generation, transmission infrastructure and energy storage to address these evolving challenges.
Despite these concerns, customer support for sustainability remains strong, indicating that reliability and clean energy are no longer viewed as competing priorities by many consumers.
Economic Benefits Drive Sustainability Support
The study found that nearly two-thirds of customers, or 64%, believe the economic, health and energy security benefits of clean energy initiatives are more important than environmental concerns alone.
This finding represents a significant shift in how customers perceive sustainability. Rather than supporting clean energy primarily because of climate change mitigation, many customers now associate renewable energy investments with broader societal and personal benefits.
Economic advantages cited by customers include:
- Lower long-term energy costs
- Greater energy independence
- Job creation
- Infrastructure investment
- Improved local economies
Health-related benefits include reductions in air pollution and improved public health outcomes, while Clean Energy security benefits are linked to greater resilience, diversified generation resources and reduced dependence on traditional fuel markets.
The results indicate that utilities may achieve greater public support by emphasizing these practical outcomes alongside environmental objectives.
Sustainability Has Become a Customer Satisfaction Driver
According to JD Power, sustainability leadership increasingly influences overall customer satisfaction.
Utilities that customers recognize as sustainability leaders generally receive stronger customer satisfaction scores than those with lower sustainability awareness. The relationship suggests sustainability is becoming an important component of the overall customer experience rather than simply a corporate responsibility initiative.
Ramah Vaughn, Director of Utilities Intelligence at JD Power, said customer expectations continue to evolve.
Rather than viewing sustainability simply as environmental stewardship, customers increasingly associate clean energy initiatives with real-world improvements in economic opportunity, public health and national energy security. Utilities that establish clear decarbonization goals, effectively communicate those objectives and demonstrate measurable actions—such as supporting electric vehicle adoption—are more likely to strengthen customer trust while improving satisfaction.
Awareness of Utility Sustainability Goals Continues to Increase
Customer awareness of utility climate commitments has continued to improve over the past three years.
According to the study:
- In 2024, only 22% of customers knew whether their utility had announced a goal to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.
- Awareness increased to 29% in 2025.
- In 2026, awareness reached 30%.
Although the improvement appears gradual, it reflects steady progress in customer engagement regarding utility sustainability initiatives.
The Sustainability Index assigns utilities an overall score measuring customer awareness, engagement and support for local climate-related efforts. In 2026, the overall industry Sustainability Index score reached 39 out of 100, indicating there remains significant opportunity for utilities to strengthen communication and public understanding of their sustainability programs.
Industry experts note that many utilities have announced ambitious carbon reduction or net-zero goals, but customer familiarity with those commitments remains relatively limited.
Communication Plays a Critical Role
One of the strongest conclusions from the study is the importance of effective communication.
Utilities ranking highest on the Sustainability Index within their respective regions also ranked highest in customer awareness regarding greenhouse gas reduction commitments.
The finding suggests that simply adopting sustainability objectives is not enough. Customers need to understand those goals, recognize utility progress and see tangible evidence of implementation.
Utilities that clearly explain their long-term climate strategies through customer outreach, educational programs, billing communications, digital platforms and community engagement appear to generate stronger confidence among consumers.
Transparent communication also helps customers better understand investments in renewable generation, grid modernization, transmission upgrades, battery storage and emerging clean technologies.
Regional Differences Highlight Sustainability Leadership
The Sustainability Index evaluates electric utilities across four geographic regions of the United States.
Overall sustainability scores were strongest among utilities operating in the western and southern states, reflecting higher customer awareness and engagement with local clean energy initiatives.
Regional leaders include:
- East: Con Edison
- Midwest: DTE Energy
- South: Entergy Texas and Georgia Power (tie)
- West: Seattle City Light
These utilities achieved the highest Sustainability Index scores within their respective regions by demonstrating strong customer awareness regarding sustainability initiatives and climate commitments.
The regional results indicate that successful sustainability strategies can be achieved across different regulatory environments and market conditions.
Electric Vehicle Support Improves Customer Relationships
Another major finding involves electric vehicle support programs.
Utilities that actively assist customers with electric vehicle purchases or charging station installations generally receive higher customer satisfaction ratings.
Programs that encourage EV adoption often include:
- Charging station rebates
- Home charging incentives
- Time-of-use electricity pricing
- Educational resources
- Public charging infrastructure investments
Customers appear to view these programs as visible demonstrations of a utility’s commitment to sustainability rather than simply promotional offerings.
JD Power found that utilities with above-average Sustainability Index scores are significantly more likely to achieve high customer satisfaction.
Specifically, 82% of utilities scoring above the industry Sustainability Index average also earned high customer satisfaction ratings.
In contrast, utilities with below-average sustainability scores were much less likely to achieve comparable customer satisfaction performance.
The findings reinforce the connection between sustainability initiatives and stronger customer relationships.
Practical Sustainability Is Reshaping Customer Expectations
The report suggests customer expectations continue to evolve beyond traditional environmental messaging.
Increasingly, customers expect utilities to demonstrate leadership across several priorities simultaneously, including:
- Reliable electricity supply
- Affordable energy
- Clean power generation
- Infrastructure modernization
- Community investment
- Grid resilience
- Support for emerging technologies
Customers appear willing to support investments in Clean Energy systems when they clearly understand the practical benefits those investments deliver.
Rather than viewing sustainability as an isolated corporate initiative, consumers increasingly consider it part of a broader strategy for creating a more reliable, secure and economically competitive energy system.
Implications for the Utility Industry
The findings arrive during a period of significant transformation for the U.S. electric utility sector. Rising electricity demand, expanding renewable energy deployment, increasing electrification and evolving customer expectations are reshaping utility investment priorities.
Utilities face the challenge of balancing affordability, reliability and sustainability while modernizing aging infrastructure and preparing for future Clean Energy demand.
The JD Power Sustainability Index suggests customer support for clean energy remains robust, provided utilities clearly communicate how sustainability investments improve everyday life through lower costs, stronger energy security, healthier communities and improved service reliability.
As utilities continue investing in decarbonization, renewable generation, grid modernization and electric transportation infrastructure, customer engagement and transparency are likely to become increasingly important factors influencing public trust and overall satisfaction.
The 2026 findings demonstrate that sustainability has evolved from an environmental initiative into a broader customer value proposition—one that encompasses economic resilience, public health, dependable energy supplies and long-term confidence in the electric utility industry.
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