Energy affordability and reliability remain a key issue ahead of elections in November, and state lawmakers have a variety of policy solutions at their disposal. However, as states gear up to communicate how grid modernization, transmission expansion, and clean energy deployment can benefit communities, they must understand not only what constituents think about these issues, but how to use that information to craft meaningful messages.
We invited a panel of experts to explore how public opinion data on these key energy topics can be used to craft more effective messaging and narrative strategy. Our speakers included Cole Howard, Deputy Director of Policy at Conservative Energy Network, and Raquel Pichardo, Managing Partner at The Groundwire Group.
What Voters Are Telling Us About Energy
Learn more by watching the webinar at 05:07.
Cole Howard provided insights on public opinion and messaging guidance around energy affordability, transmission investment, large loads, and permitting informed by Conservative Energy Network’s May 2026 National Poll. Highlights from his presentation include:
- Overwhelmingly, voters want more power and a stronger grid, but they need assurance about energy affordability. They are willing to endure short-term increases in costs if it means long-term savings.
- Eighty-two percent of voters are concerned about energy affordability, and 92 percent say that grid modernization is important.
- In terms of policy support, 78 percent support transmission investment with long-term savings; 83 percent support power planning requirements for large loads; and 73 percent support faster transmission permitting if landowner rights are respected.
- Voters understand the importance of grid modernization, but they fear the implications for electricity costs — 50 percent believe that grid upgrades will raise their bill. Rather than attempting to persuade voters that the grid matters, we need to show them that investments produce visible consumer value.
- The case for transmission investment is most persuasive when plainly stating the benefits of lower long-term bills and greater reliability.
- Forty-one percent of voters say their biggest concern about rising energy demand is that corporations will benefit while ratepayers foot the bill. It’s essential to have clarity around fair allocation of costs and large-load accountability.
- Around three-quarters of voters support faster permitting for new generation and transmission, but only when environmental and safety standards are preserved and landowner rights are respected.
- Voter awareness of grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) is low, but the concept resonates when it’s explained, showing a clear need for continued education on this issue.
Messaging on Energy Affordability Policies
Learn more by watching the webinar at 23:10.
Raquel Pichardo explored how to frame messages around policy solutions related to grid modernization, overcoming barriers to clean energy deployment, and utility reform, pulled from the Energy Affordability Messaging Toolkit developed by Groundwire Group and the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. Highlights from her presentation include:
- On average, American’s electricity bills have increased 32 percent since 2021. One-third of American households report experiencing energy insecurity, and one-sixth are behind on paying their electricity bills.
- Many Americans see utilities as a central player in the energy affordability crisis — accountability is a key part of this issue. Eighty percent of Americans feel powerless over their utility charges, and 64 percent say that bill increases are driven by the desire for utilities to make more money.
- Only 42 percent of Americans say they understand what drives costs on their utility bills, presenting an educational opportunity.
- Seventy-three percent of Americans believe that building more clean energy will cut costs, reflecting broad support for clean energy as an affordability solution.
- While Americans understand that the grid needs improvement, there is still a public awareness gap about what types of investment that would require, including transmission planning. Messaging around grid planning should include a few key points:
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- The problem: Today’s grid can’t meet tomorrow’s demands.
- The action and the outcome: Grid investments are essential to ensure affordable and reliable energy.
- Customer benefits: Decisions today will dictate how those long-term investments are made, and who reaps the benefits.
- While many Americans understand the benefits of clean energy, they are concerned about transparency and local community and environmental protections for individual projects. Messaging around streamlining permitting should include a few key points:
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- Community protections: Building clean energy quickly and affordably means cutting red tape — but not at the expense of host communities.
- Reiterate the benefits: Reforming how clean energy is planned and built will speed the transition to a low-cost, clean energy system of the future.
- While many Americans blame utilities for rising electricity bills, they feel powerless to do anything about it. Messaging around utility reform should include a few key points:
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- Education on the utility profit model: Utilities currently have no reason to reduce customer bills, and every reason to spend more.
- Present a positive vision: Policies that reward utilities for keeping costs down can result in both utility and household savings.
Q&A
Learn more by watching the Q&A at 42:35.
Q: Is there evidence that grid users are strongly interested in leaning into clean energy? How does that split out by party and demographics?
Q: Recently, we’ve been seeing good clean energy development getting lumped in with energy infrastructure that the public opposes, such as data center development, which seeds opposition to clean energy projects. How can we navigate untangling clean energy with data center demand?
Q: While public opinion data shows that voters are willing to accept short-term costs for long-term energy affordability and reliability, we know people can be very resistant to new infrastructure projects in their communities, especially against a backdrop of already-high energy costs. How can we navigate the gap between what people say they’re willing to accept in the abstract and how they respond when these projects actually show up in their communities?
