Abstract
The prevalence of energy insecurity in the United States is well documented in scholarly and policy literature. However, few studies evaluate a comprehensive range of responses to this complex challenge, including policies or actions that different entities—government institutions, private sector companies and non-profit agencies—can use to address energy insecurity. In this Perspective, we present levers, or opportunities, that electricity sector actors have at their disposal, including both direct and systemic measures. We focus on federal, state and local governments, utility companies, regional transmission organizations and non-governmental organizations, such as community-based organizations and non-profits. After discussing a range of levers for each actor, we consi…
Abstract
The prevalence of energy insecurity in the United States is well documented in scholarly and policy literature. However, few studies evaluate a comprehensive range of responses to this complex challenge, including policies or actions that different entities—government institutions, private sector companies and non-profit agencies—can use to address energy insecurity. In this Perspective, we present levers, or opportunities, that electricity sector actors have at their disposal, including both direct and systemic measures. We focus on federal, state and local governments, utility companies, regional transmission organizations and non-governmental organizations, such as community-based organizations and non-profits. After discussing a range of levers for each actor, we consider their interactions, identifying cross-jurisdictional and cross-sectoral strategies to reduce the prevalence and impacts of energy insecurity and enhance affordability. We argue that the most effective approach to mitigating energy insecurity will be a thoughtful and deliberate combination of a range of levers and their corresponding actors.
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Acknowledgements
We thank the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation through the RTO Governance Research Network, as well as the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, for generously funding our project. We also thank G. Chan at the University of Minnesota for feedback on a draft of the article.
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Authors and Affiliations
Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, Stuart Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Alison L. Knasin & Sanya Carley 1.
University of Michigan Law School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Alexandra B. Klass 1.
Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
David M. Konisky 1.
Carey Law School and Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Shelley Welton
Authors
- Alison L. Knasin
- Sanya Carley
- Alexandra B. Klass
- David M. Konisky
- Shelley Welton
Contributions
A.L.K., S.C., A.B.K., S.W. and D.M.K. contributed to conceptualization of the manuscript. A.L.K., S.C., A.B.K., S.W. and D.M.K. contributed to writing and editing the manuscript.
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Correspondence to Sanya Carley.
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Knasin, A.L., Carley, S., Klass, A.B. et al. Levers to address energy insecurity in the United States. Nat Energy (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01959-7
Received: 04 August 2025
Accepted: 10 December 2025
Published: 28 January 2026
Version of record: 28 January 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01959-7