This plan is operational with implementation and on-going planning through the Vermont Department of Public Service (DPS). This Comprehensive Energy Plan balances the principles articulated in 30 V.S.A. § 202a of energy adequacy, reliability, security, and affordability, which are all essential for a vibrant, resilient, and robust economy and for the health and well-being of all Vermonters. It also recognizes that the current energy system is marked by systemic inequities that have a disproportionate impact on many of Vermont’s communities, in terms of issues such as energy burden and access to renewable energy opportunities. When approached through the lens of equity and justice, the transition required to meet Vermont’s renewable energy goals and GHG reduction requirements presents us with opportunities to root out and redress those existing inequities. This CEP advances these guiding principles through pathways, strategies, and recommendations found throughout the plan, building on and re-establishing the high-level goals set in the 2011 and 2016 CEPs: Meet 25% of energy needs from renewable sources by 2025, 45% by 2035, and 90% by 2050.

Vermont Energy Act of 2011