19 Utah Towns Switch to Clean Energy This Year

Nineteen Utah communities are flipping the switch to clean energy in a groundbreaking program that could change how America powers its towns.

The Community Clean Energy initiative will bring solar, wind, and battery storage to roughly 25% of Utah's Rocky Mountain Power customers within four years. Right now, the state runs on nearly 60% fossil fuels.

Towns like Moab, Logan, Springdale, and several Summit County communities signed on after the program launched under House Bill 411 in 2019. Summit County Council voted unanimously to join on April 15.

The program adds $4 monthly to residential power bills, with businesses paying rates based on their usage. That money funds new solar farms, wind installations, and energy storage across the state.

Local councils face their final vote on June 2. Residents can contact representatives to voice support before the deadline.

The Ripple Effect

Utah's pioneering effort marks the first time communities across an entire state have banded together for clean energy at this scale. No other large-scale, community-based program like this exists in America.

The timing matters beyond innovation. Utah faces shrinking snowpack, persistent drought, and worsening wildfire seasons. Switching to non-polluting energy sources means new power plants won't add emissions as demand grows.

Air quality improvements could follow too. Electric utilities and civil servants spent seven years designing this program alongside Rocky Mountain Power.

The transition opens doors for residents to swap natural gas appliances for electric versions at home. Every switch amplifies the program's impact across the state's energy grid.

Utah just showed America what's possible when communities decide their energy future together.