Summit County Approves Clean Energy Fee: $4 for Residents, 5% for Businesses

Summit County has approved new clean energy fees for its residents and businesses. These charges, $4 monthly for residents and an estimated 5% for businesses, will fund renewable energy projects across the region starting as early as late 2025.

On April 15, the Summit County Council unanimously approved the Community Clean Energy Program. This initiative automatically enrolls all eligible Rocky Mountain Power customers within the unincorporated county. The program aims to increase the regional supply of non-polluting, renewable energy sources, offering a new choice for local power consumption.

Under the newly approved program, residents will incur an additional charge of $4 per month on their electricity bills. Businesses participating in the program will see an estimated 5% increase on their total electricity costs. These collected funds are designated for the construction of new renewable energy infrastructure. This new infrastructure is designed to help meet growing energy demands with clean sources, offsetting current demand in Summit County and 18 other participating Utah cities and counties. Customers retain the option to opt out of the program for free within the first six months following its launch. Furthermore, low-income residents are exempt from these additional fees, including any termination fees for opting out.

The program's design, which automatically enrolls customers with an opt-out provision, follows a legislative debate earlier this year. An initial proposal in House Bill 238 would have required customers to actively opt-in, but this was reversed after advocacy from environmental groups. County leaders noted that opt-in programs "virtually all fail" to achieve broad participation in clean energy initiatives. This current structure aims to maximize the transition towards cleaner energy sources for the community. While state law no longer strictly requires the program to offset 100% of all participating customers' energy use, the involved communities maintain a commitment to their original goals of achieving net 100% renewable energy for their participants. The Community Clean Energy Program is currently projected to launch sometime between late 2025 and early 2027. Watch for decisions from Park City, Francis, Oakley, and Coalville, which have until early June to vote on joining the program, potentially expanding its regional impact and the scope of clean energy development.