Community Voices in Energy Survey 2.0

a statewide report on household energy perspectives

The revamped 2025 Community Voices in Energy Survey (CVES) expands on its foundational goal of understanding energy affordability, reliability, and clean energy from the perspective of low-to-moderate income (LMI) Texans. This year’s survey introduces the Energy Vulnerability Index (EVI), a comprehensive measure capturing hidden energy burdens such as behavioral sacrifices, risks of utility disconnections, and financial trade-offs. Additionally, the survey places greater emphasis on bill assistance programs, exploring barriers like awareness gaps and eligibility challenges. Behavioral analysis sheds light on common energy-limiting practices, offering deeper insights into household energy strategies. Complementing these enhancements is an interactive dashboard, mapping EVI across regions, counties, and ZIP codes to equip policymakers, utilities, and community stakeholders with actionable, localized data for targeted decision-making.

CVES Dashboard: Mapping Energy Vulnerability in Texas

The interactive dashboard visualizes the Energy Vulnerability Index (EVI) by county and ZIP code, providing a deeper look at how energy insecurity impacts low-income Texans.

Unlike traditional energy burden metrics, the EVI reflects real-life challenges—such as utility shutoff risks, behavioral sacrifices, and difficult financial trade-offs. Use built-in filters to explore these burdens by income level, employment status, household size, housing type, and more.
Compare regions, pinpoint high-vulnerability areas, and identify where support is most urgently needed.

For deeper insights, explore the full statewide report and 13 regional reports from the Community Voices in Energy Survey.

CVES 2.0 Statewide Report

This expanded report and interactive website build on our 2023 pilot, capturing in-depth information on:

– Affordability concerns
– Disconnection risk
– Energy-limiting behaviors
– And our new TEPRI “Energy Vulnerability Index”

Community Voices 2.0 represents one of the most extensive efforts to incorporate the lived experiences of Texans into the development of energy solutions.

Community Voices 2.0 is a core part of TEPRI’s mission to advance affordable, reliable, and clean energy for all Texans. These findings will inform ongoing efforts to enhance program access, mitigate energy burdens, and foster trust between communities and energy institutions.

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Community Voices 2.0 Regional Reports