Utilities Are Having a Moment, And What To Say About It

Ready or not, utilities have been pushed into the spotlight of the energy transition. Load growth is booming (thank you, AI-hungry data centers), while electrification, cooling demand from our increasingly steamy summers, and even green hydrogen add to the pressure. Electricity bills are through the roof, and utilities have more eyes on them than ever. 

It’s unquestionably a challenging situation. Enough of the right kind of generation needs to be built fast enough but can utilities figure out a way to manage through this while keeping consumers from revolting and to keep their reputations intact? 

A dire situation 

Robinson Meyer recently cited new government data in a Heatmap article that shows over the past 12 months, electricity prices have increased twice as fast as inflation and will likely continue to rise. Charles Hua, CEO of Powerlines, shared that 80% of Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills in a recent NPR interview and in Georgia, bills are up 33%. For many households, there is an impossible choice between keeping the lights on or putting food on the table. In this environment, utilities risk being cast as the villain.

So, where does marketing fit into this? Right now, utilities need to take advantage of this spotlight to talk to their partners and the public in a way that helps their reputation vs. damage it. We have a  few thoughts on this:

1. Reframe, Reframe, Reframe 

Utilities can’t rely on the same old messaging anymore. Customers are tired of jargon—they want answers: Why is my bill so high, and what’s being done about it? That’s where marketers come in. They support utilities shift the conversation from ‘you’re paying more’ to ‘we need to reshape the energy landscape to support our planet, and here are energy efficiency programs to reduce your energy bills.’ It’s about connecting the dots between what’s going on with growing energy demands and what can be responsibly done about it. New England’s Eversource, for example, dedicated a page on its site to address exactly this—see here.

2. Be Transparent and Give it to ‘em Straight

This is a moment for utilities to take a direct, transparent approach. Plain, honest messaging and simple visuals can help people better understand policy impacts and cause and effect issues. Equally important is being upfront about what’s within their control and what isn’t. Transparency isn’t a weakness; it’s essential for rebuilding credibility in a skeptical market.

3. Talk about the Innovation

Even amid the chaos, sparks of innovation are emerging. Companies like Camus are rethinking how utilities connect to the grid faster. Their flexible interconnection model taps unused capacity—meaning faster, dependable ways to bring new power online. This is the kind of fresh thinking utilities need to meet growing demand without passing crippling costs to customers. And it’s worth talking about. Sharing these approaches signals to the public that they agree the status quo isn’t cutting it.

4. Show the Benefits

If rates are going up, customers need to see where their dollars are going. That could mean highlighting community solar projects, new battery storage, or more area jobs. It’s not enough to say “we’re decarbonizing”—people need proof that progress is real and that it benefits them.

5. Make it Human

Utilities don’t often feel like they are made up of people; rather, they feel like corporate entities are just so darn transaction-focused. Not a ton of trust is built that way. Marketing can change that (@Milagros Beltrame of video communications company, Wideo, underscores this in her recent blog). While this isn’t a new revelation, few utilities seem to be effectively taking this approach. Spotlight the engineers, a team who went above and beyond to quickly repair power outages after a storm, someone doing something cool or impressive. Humans always make better stories…and so do photos of them doing it.

Utilities aren’t going anywhere, and short-term pressures on the grid are only going to continue. The sector needs marketers and communications experts who deliver messages with clarity, offer solutions, reinforce commitments, and explain the reasons behind the challenges people are facing right now.

Let’s talk about this unique opportunity to work on together. A third-party perspective that knows our industry is essential to redefining strategic messaging. Connect with us at [email protected].