July 7, 2026
Escalent Recognizes 32 Gas, Electric and Combination Utilities as 2026 Most Trusted Brands
A new Cogent Syndicated report from Escalent finds that, following nearly two years of sustained recovery and improvement, residential customers’ trust in gas, electric and combination utilities plateaued in early 2026. As utilities work to counter declining monthly bill manageability perceptions worsening customer sentiment among residential customers, the industry’s Brand Trust Index declined by one point year over year, reaching 696 on a 1,000-point-max scale.
Those are some of the latest findings of the 2026 Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential study, which tracks the performance of 155 gas, electric and combination utilities to identify brand and customer experience opportunities and trends in the industry. The report is published semiannually by Escalent, a top market research and advisory firm with extensive energy, utility and brand experience.
Although four Brand Trust components—Communications Effectiveness, Reliable Quality, Community Support and Environmental Dedication—remained stable or improved, overall Brand Trust declined due to substantial declines in the two most influential drivers: Customer Focus and Company Reputation.
“While energy utilities continue to perform well in many traditional measures of trust, customers are placing greater weight on whether companies act fairly, provide value and demonstrate a genuine commitment to their customers’ interests,” said Suzanne Haggerty, director of Cogent Syndicated research with Escalent’s Energy industry team. “As economic pressures persist, perceptions of ethics, fairness and customer focus are becoming increasingly important drivers of Brand Trust.”
While Brand Trust remained largely unchanged across the industry, the 32 energy utilities recognized as Escalent’s 2026 Most Trusted Brands collectively achieved significant year-over-year improvement.
These higher-scoring utilities set themselves apart through stronger perceptions of fairness, ethics, customer advocacy and reputation. Winners collectively achieved meaningful gains by strengthening the customer relationship in ways that extend beyond day-to-day service delivery. Among the most important findings:
- The largest advantages are tied to trust and customer advocacy: Compared with the industry average, the winners scored substantially higher on attributes such as being trusted to do the right thing for customers, acting ethically, considering customer concerns in business decisions, and generating positive word of mouth.
- Perceptions of value remain a major differentiator: “Offers reasonable rates for the service provided” represents one of the largest scoring gaps between winners and the industry, underscoring the importance of demonstrating value in an environment of continued customer sensitivity to costs.
- Company Reputation is reinforced by external perceptions: The winners outperform the industry on measures tied to positive comments from others and overall reputation, suggesting that trust is increasingly shaped by the broader narratives customers encounter beyond their direct interactions with the utility.
- Customer Focus is where the winners gained the most ground: The strongest improvements among winning energy utilities were concentrated in perceptions that energy utilities understand customer needs, consider customer concerns, and make decisions with customers’ interests in mind.
- Operational competence is necessary but not sufficient: While the winners also outperform the industry on traditional service measures, their greatest advantages come from relationship-oriented perceptions rather than transactional experiences alone.
“The energy utilities that earned Escalent’s 2026 Most Trusted Brand recognition distinguish themselves not just through strong operational performance, but through stronger customer relationships,” said Haggerty. “Customers are more likely to view these companies as fair, trustworthy and attentive to their concerns, demonstrating that trust is built through both what utilities do and how customers perceive their intentions.”
Energy utility communication remains one of the most direct levers for strengthening Brand Trust. Following a rebound from a mid-2024 low, the industry’s Communications Intensity Index—an indicator of communication investment—held steady from mid-2025 to mid-2026. Although Escalent’s 2026 Most Trusted Brands exhibited a similar year-over-year pattern, the group consistently outperformed the industry on Communications Intensity, highlighting the role of sustained customer communication in building trust.
“Customers are increasingly influenced by the stories and perceptions they encounter beyond their direct interactions with a utility,” Haggerty added. “High-trust utilities recognize that communication plays an important role in shaping those perceptions. Rather than communicating only when necessary, they maintain consistent outreach that helps build credibility and strengthen trust over the long term.”
Escalent is pleased to name these 32 energy utilities as our 2026 Most Trusted Brands.
| Cogent Syndicated 2026 Most Trusted Utility Brands* | |
| Atmos Energy – Midwest | MidAmerican Energy |
| Atmos Energy – South | Mississippi Power |
| Avista | Montana-Dakota Utilities |
| Cascade Natural Gas | National Grid |
| CenterPoint Energy – Midwest | NW Natural |
| Chattanooga Gas Company | OPPD |
| Columbia Gas – East | OUC |
| Columbia Gas – South | PECO |
| Con Edison | Peoples Gas |
| Florida City Gas Company | Pepco |
| Florida Public Utilities | PSE&G |
| Green Mountain Power | Salt River Project |
| Idaho Power | Seattle City Light |
| Indiana Michigan Power | SMUD |
| Intermountain Gas Company | TECO Peoples Gas |
| Louisville Gas & Electric | Washington Gas |
*Utilities named as Most Trusted Brands are selected based on having Brand Trust Index scores in the top decile of the industry, the top score within their respective benchmark segment, or a Brand Trust Index score within 20 points of the top benchmark segment score and above the industry average.
The following tables reflect regional peer benchmark Brand Trust scores among the 155 utilities surveyed. These scores reflect the amount of trust customers have with each utility.
| East Region Utilities Brand Trust Performance | ||
| Utility brand name | Service provided | Brand Trust score |
| PSE&G | Combination | 718 |
| Con Edison | Combination | 713 |
| PECO | Combination | 710 |
| National Grid | Combination | 701 |
| Delmarva Power | Combination | 688 |
| Eversource | Combination | 664 |
| BGE | Combination | 656 |
| NYSEG | Combination | 571 |
| RG&E | Combination | 565 |
| Pepco | Electric | 723 |
| Green Mountain Power | Electric | 713 |
| Duquesne Light Company | Electric | 701 |
| Penelec | Electric | 696 |
| Penn Power | Electric | 678 |
| PPL Electric Utilities | Electric | 678 |
| PSEG Long Island | Electric | 677 |
| West Penn Power | Electric | 670 |
| Met-Ed | Electric | 659 |
| Potomac Edison | Electric | 644 |
| Atlantic City Electric | Electric | 643 |
| Jersey Central Power & Light | Electric | 628 |
| Mon Power | Electric | 623 |
| Central Maine Power | Electric | 605 |
| Appalachian Power | Electric | 598 |
| Washington Gas | Natural Gas | 760 |
| Columbia Gas – East | Natural Gas | 740 |
| Peoples | Natural Gas | 738 |
| National Fuel Gas | Natural Gas | 736 |
| UGI Utilities | Natural Gas | 730 |
| Chesapeake Maryland | Natural Gas | 729 |
| Philadelphia Gas Works | Natural Gas | 726 |
| Elizabethtown Gas | Natural Gas | 720 |
| Chesapeake Delaware | Natural Gas | 720 |
| Mountaineer Gas | Natural Gas | 712 |
| South Jersey Gas Company | Natural Gas | 707 |
| New Jersey Natural Gas | Natural Gas | 678 |
| Midwest Region Utilities Brand Trust Performance | ||
| Utility brand name | Service provided | Brand Trust score |
| Montana-Dakota Utilities | Combination | 751 |
| MidAmerican Energy | Combination | 747 |
| Duke Energy Midwest | Combination | 723 |
| Consumers Energy | Combination | 715 |
| Black Hills Energy – Midwest | Combination | 715 |
| Wisconsin Public Service | Combination | 709 |
| Ameren Illinois | Combination | 699 |
| We Energies | Combination | 695 |
| Alliant Energy | Combination | 677 |
| Xcel Energy – Midwest | Combination | 677 |
| DTE Energy | Combination | 643 |
| NIPSCO | Combination | 639 |
| CenterPoint Energy – Indiana | Combination | 455 |
| OPPD | Electric | 735 |
| Indiana Michigan Power | Electric | 722 |
| Ameren Missouri | Electric | 679 |
| Ohio Edison | Electric | 674 |
| Evergy | Electric | 674 |
| ComEd | Electric | 667 |
| AEP Ohio | Electric | 666 |
| Toledo Edison | Electric | 664 |
| AES Indiana | Electric | 661 |
| The Illuminating Company | Electric | 645 |
| AES Ohio | Electric | 622 |
| Atmos Energy – Midwest | Natural Gas | 741 |
| Peoples Gas | Natural Gas | 729 |
| CenterPoint Energy – Midwest | Natural Gas | 727 |
| Michigan Gas | Natural Gas | 720 |
| Spire Missouri – East | Natural Gas | 718 |
| Columbia Gas of Ohio | Natural Gas | 710 |
| North Shore Gas | Natural Gas | 710 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Natural Gas | 708 |
| Spire Missouri – West | Natural Gas | 705 |
| Kansas Gas Service | Natural Gas | 704 |
| Nicor Gas | Natural Gas | 696 |
| Citizens Energy | Natural Gas | 684 |
| Enbridge Gas Ohio | Natural Gas | 682 |
| South Region Utilities Brand Trust Performance | ||
| Utility brand name | Service provided | Brand Trust score |
| Florida Public Utilities | Combination | 731 |
| Louisville Gas & Electric | Combination | 715 |
| Dominion Energy South Carolina | Combination | 703 |
| CPS Energy | Combination | 703 |
| MLGW | Combination | 638 |
| OUC | Electric | 771 |
| Mississippi Power | Electric | 762 |
| Georgia Power | Electric | 746 |
| Entergy Mississippi | Electric | 742 |
| Entergy Louisiana | Electric | 735 |
| Kentucky Utilities | Electric | 731 |
| Florida Power & Light | Electric | 728 |
| Entergy Arkansas | Electric | 712 |
| Nashville Electric Service | Electric | 711 |
| JEA | Electric | 710 |
| Alabama Power | Electric | 709 |
| Xcel Energy – South | Electric | 707 |
| TECO Tampa Electric | Electric | 706 |
| Public Service Company of Oklahoma | Electric | 701 |
| Southwestern Electric Power Company | Electric | 699 |
| OG&E | Electric | 690 |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | Electric | 688 |
| Duke Energy Florida | Electric | 684 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas | Electric | 679 |
| Duke Energy Progress | Electric | 674 |
| Entergy Texas | Electric | 670 |
| Austin Energy | Electric | 668 |
| Entergy New Orleans | Electric | 663 |
| El Paso Electric | Electric | 655 |
| Kentucky Power | Electric | 603 |
| TECO Peoples Gas | Natural Gas | 777 |
| Chattanooga Gas Company | Natural Gas | 774 |
| Florida City Gas Company | Natural Gas | 770 |
| Atmos Energy – South | Natural Gas | 766 |
| Columbia Gas – South | Natural Gas | 747 |
| Virginia Natural Gas | Natural Gas | 740 |
| Texas Gas Service | Natural Gas | 732 |
| Oklahoma Natural Gas | Natural Gas | 732 |
| Piedmont Natural Gas | Natural Gas | 729 |
| Spire Alabama | Natural Gas | 727 |
| CenterPoint Energy – South | Natural Gas | 720 |
| Delta Utilities | Natural Gas | 715 |
| Enbridge Gas North Carolina | Natural Gas | 708 |
| West Region Utilities Brand Trust Performance | ||
| Utility brand name | Service provided | Brand Trust score |
| Avista | Combination | 739 |
| Puget Sound Energy | Combination | 704 |
| NorthWestern Energy | Combination | 704 |
| Black Hills Energy – West | Combination | 704 |
| Xcel Energy Colorado | Combination | 687 |
| Colorado Springs Utilities | Combination | 671 |
| PG&E | Combination | 610 |
| SDG&E | Combination | 529 |
| Seattle City Light | Electric | 748 |
| Idaho Power | Electric | 745 |
| SMUD | Electric | 737 |
| Salt River Project | Electric | 736 |
| LADWP | Electric | 718 |
| Rocky Mountain Power | Electric | 713 |
| PNM | Electric | 705 |
| Snohomish County PUD | Electric | 705 |
| APS | Electric | 688 |
| Portland General Electric | Electric | 682 |
| Pacific Power | Electric | 675 |
| Tucson Electric Power | Electric | 667 |
| Southern California Edison | Electric | 663 |
| NV Energy | Electric | 663 |
| Intermountain Gas Company | Natural Gas | 799 |
| Cascade Natural Gas | Natural Gas | 763 |
| NW Natural | Natural Gas | 754 |
| SoCalGas | Natural Gas | 738 |
| Southwest Gas | Natural Gas | 736 |
| New Mexico Gas Company | Natural Gas | 710 |
| Enbridge Gas West | Natural Gas | 706 |
About the Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential study
Escalent conducted surveys among 62,233 residential electric, natural gas and combination utility customers of the 155 largest US utility companies (based on residential customer counts). The sample design uses a combination of quotas and weighting based on US census data to ensure a demographically balanced sample of each evaluated utility’s customers based on age, gender, income, race and ethnicity. Utilities within the same region and of the same type (e.g., electric-only providers) are given equal weight to balance the influence of each utility’s customers on survey results. The Brand Trust index score is a composite based upon consumer ratings across six factors. Escalent will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request.
For more information on the full report, click the button below.
