Energy Overhaul: California’s New Climate and Utility Laws You Need to Know

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | August 22, 2025 Tags: #Climate, #Utilities, #CleanEnergy, #Affordability, #CorporateOversight

California passed new clean energy laws this year. Progress matters, but real leadership is measured by everyday results. Families need electric bills they can afford. Communities need protection from fires. Clean energy must be accessible to everyone instead of becoming a privilege for a few.

For years, major utilities raised rates, resisted rooftop solar, and paid executives more than most families will ever see in a lifetime. Regulators often expressed concern but took limited action to change the behavior. That is not meaningful oversight. It is avoidance. True climate justice means renewable energy for renters, rural communities, and working families, not only for homeowners with the resources to upgrade. It means accountability when infrastructure failures cause destruction. It means ensuring that people do not have to choose between keeping the lights on and paying for groceries.

California’s new laws are an important start. The next step is making sure these policies benefit the people who need them most rather than the companies that have long controlled the system.