From flipping on the lights to cooking dinner and charging our phones, energy is at the heart of our daily lives. It keeps our homes running and helps create safe, healthy environments. But across Oregon, access to reliable and affordable energy isn’t equal. Income levels and neighborhood disparities often determine who benefits—and who is left behind.
So when our energy systems fail to meet community needs, an important question arises: Who gets to shape the solutions?
From 2023 to 2025, the Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC) and Community Energy Project hosted a series of community listening sessions to make sure the voices most impacted by energy inequities are the ones driving policy change. These conversations—rich with lived experience, ideas, and priorities—form the backbone of the Energy Justice 2025 Community Report, now available for download.
Across the sessions, participants consistently called for greater affordability and clearer communication, including:
More programs that support energy-efficiency upgrades, smart home technology, and solar access
Utility customer service representatives trained to connect people with programs they qualify for
Transparent and timely communication from utilities about rate increases
We were proud to submit this report to the Oregon Legislature to help shape stronger, more equitable energy policies.
This year, we also brought vital information directly to our communities through a resource fair to help prevent shutoffs and navigate rising food and energy challenges. Last year, we successfully pushed back against a drastic gas rate increase. Our collective advocacy helped cut Pacific Power’s proposed 21.6% rate increase nearly in half – down to *10%. Wins like this are only possible through community power, partnership, and the legal support of groups like the Green Energy Institute (GEI). And we’re continuing to stand up against unjust energy rate hikes that burden our families
None of this work happens without the people who show up, sharing their stories, lending their expertise, and supporting their neighbors. Their commitment is what turns the idea of energy justice into reality.
You can help keep this momentum going.
Your gift ensures that community voices continue to lead Oregon’s energy future. We invite you to give $50 or more to support equitable access to affordable, reliable energy.
Every contribution, big or small, helps us bring communities together, uplift unheard stories, and keep pushing for a fair, affordable energy system for all.
*In an earlier email where we shared this story, we included an incorrect figure. The information has been corrected in this version.