Kim Petty, kim.petty@sierraclub.org
RENO, Nev. — Today, Sierra Club released its fifth annual Dirty Truth Report, which grades 75 utilities across the country on their plans to retire coal plants by 2030, not build new gas plants through 2035, and transition to clean energy through 2035. This year, Berkshire Hathaway-owned NV Energy received a B, a grade that has decreased over the last two years.
Since 2023, NV Energy’s score in its northern service area dropped 21 points from 80 out of 100 to 59 out of 100, while the score in its southern service area dropped 10 points from 83 out of 100 to 73 out of 100. NV Energy’s score reveals the utility has begun to lag in its clean energy transition. At the same time, Nevada is experiencing a data center boom and energy demand is increasing significantly, with data centers largely powered by dangerous fossil fuels like natural gas.
According to NV Energy’s latest energy plans, the utility will trade one expensive, polluting fossil fuel for another by converting the North Valmy coal plant to gas rather than an affordable, renewable source like solar. In addition to converting Valmy, the utility also plans to build two new gas units at the site.
“NV Energy has taken a step backwards, binding Nevadans to costly fossil fuels for years to come,” said Olivia Tanager, Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter Director. “Customers shouldn’t have to pay the price for utilities’ poor planning. It’s time NV Energy got back on track with an accelerated clean energy plan that will meet growing demand, lower bills, and ensure a livable future for all.”
Faced with rapidly increasing load projections, utility companies are failing to meet this critical moment by championing renewable energy—instead, they are backsliding on their commitments and doubling down on fossil fuels. Across all 75 utilities, the companies scored an aggregate of 15 out of 100 points, earning an F. This marks the lowest score since the first year of this report in 2021, and the first time the score has ever dropped below the inaugural report.
In an interactive webpage, users can see their utility’s score and what progress, if any, the utility has made toward transitioning to cleaner, more affordable energy since the first version of the report in 2021.
“It is alarming that for the first time since 2021, utilities are regressing on their clean energy transition,” said Sierra Club Chief Program Officer Holly Bender. “By adding more gas and keeping costly coal plants online, utility companies are ignoring renewable energy—the cheapest form of energy—and forcing their customers to pay more. As energy costs rise and extreme weather becomes more frequent, now is the time to phase out polluting, volatile, expensive fossil fuels and invest in stable, reliable, and affordable clean energy.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.