JULY 29, Irvine — Last night, the Irvine City Council voted to back a sweeping state legislative package designed to lower energy rates by increasing regulatory oversight of investor-owned utilities.

With this vote, Irvine becomes the first Orange County city to officially endorse California’s 2026 rate relief efforts, joining the City of San Diego in taking the fight directly to Sacramento.

This legislative package targets the root causes of rising energy rates by:

• Increasing utility accountability,

• Slashing excessive corporate profits,

• Limiting overspending,

• Accelerating the clean energy transition.

Nicole Capretz, Chief Executive Officer of Climate Action Campaign, issued the following statement:

“Energy rates are in the state’s hands, and, for decades, it has allowed private utilities to treat working families like ATMs. Californians are struggling to make ends meet and are exhausted by the state continuously dragging its feet. With a growing coalition of SoCal cities lining up behind this legislation, Sacramento can no longer look the other way.”