Megan Wittman, megan.wittman@sierraclub.org
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Today, the Sierra Club released its 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 report shows that—despite their promises—We Energies is still overwhelmingly not planning for the clean energy transition and millions of Americans are facing the consequences of a grid powered by polluting fossil fuels. At the same time, electricity bills are increasing faster than inflation.
We Energies earned an F grade at a score of 6 percent in this year’s report, its worst grade yet since the Dirty Truth Report began in 2021. WEC Energy Group, We Energies’ parent company, also earned an F grade this year, as well as Wisconsin Public Service (WPS).
“I would be embarrassed if I brought home an ‘F’ on my report card year after year. But We Energies has no shame; they’ve continued to put corporate profits ahead of people, sticking customers with higher utility bills and greater air pollution by building new gas and delaying the Oak Creek coal plant closure time and again,” said Jadine Sonoda, Campaign Coordinator, Sierra Club Wisconsin.
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.”
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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.