Energy Trust is developing its first multiyear plan in 2025, moving from an annual budgeting and planning process to a five-year plan for 2026-2030. Planning for multiple years will give us more flexibility to respond to an ever-changing market. It will also give us the ability to think bigger and longer term to achieve more ambitious energy goals and maximize customer benefits.

This is a significant shift in the way we operate. We will engage customers, communities and organizations throughout this process to arrive at a plan that is responsive to their needs.

Rooted in strategic planning

The multiyear plan starts with our latest strategic plan, which our board approved in December 2024. Our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan sets top priorities for the coming years, including core work and the areas we will focus on to achieve that work; it also includes desired outcomes and metrics for tracking progress to meeting those outcomes. Our strategic plan was based on engagement and input from customers, advocates, our utility partners and other stakeholders.

The multiyear plan will say how we’ll achieve what’s in our strategic plan – what resources will be needed, where we will invest staff time, what programs we’ll offer customers, what energy savings targets we’ll work toward and how we will achieve them. It will include five components: a business plan, a complementary funding strategy, human resource plan, a financial plan, and a plan management strategy.

How to get involved

Public engagement is highly encouraged through this process to help shape new and enhanced activities, programs and offers for customers.

In early 2025, we will host workshops to gather input on your priorities as we start this process. There will be four virtual workshops, one for each Energy Trust sector: residential, commercial (including multifamily), industrial and agriculture, and renewable energy. We’ll also host at least one in-person workshop outside the Portland area that will cover all four sectors.

The workshops will begin in mid-February. Please check back as we get closer for more details.

Draft plan coming in August

Feedback from the workshops will inform the draft 2026-2030 Multiyear Plan that will be released for public comment in August. We’ll revise that draft based on public comments and other engagements.

The final proposed 2026-2030 Multiyear Plan will be released in the fall. It will then go to our board of directors for its approval and would go into effect January 1, 2026.