Salt Lake City, UT – On Monday, April 1, PacifiCorp, the parent company of monopoly utility Rocky Mountain Power issued an update to its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), doubling down on fossil fuels when decarbonization is urgently needed.
Kansas City, MO - Despite much of the Midwest experiencing the warmest winter on record, Evergy is still dragging its feet on retiring expensive, coal-burning power plants and building out enough renewable energy. That’s what Evergy, the second largest electric utility in Missouri, announced when it filed its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with state regulators yesterday.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Today, after years of dedicated community advocacy and activism, the Tennessee Valley Authority finalized its plan to retire the 1,700-megawatt Kingston coal plant in Roane County, Tenn. The federal utility issued the final decision to decommission all nine units in 2027. This is the 382nd coal plant to announce a retirement since the start of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign.
Washington, D.C.: Last Friday, the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sustainable FERC Project filed a protest challenging Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) proposed capacity accreditation methodologies, arguing they threaten reliability by ignoring the facts of fossil fuel underperforming and renewables overperforming when power is needed most. Additionally, the groups filed a Federal Power Act Section 206 complaint challenging the existing accreditation methodologies for those resources that SPP is trying to replace.
In a landmark victory, the Sierra Club, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy have reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address the longstanding issue of ionic toxicity pollution in West Virginia streams caused by coal mining.
Washington, D.C.: The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), once again, submitted a discriminatory accreditation plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). SPP was required to go back to the drawing board following a challenge by environmental advocates last year who challenged the unfair treatment of renewable energy.
PHOENIX, AZ – Today in a 4 to 1 vote, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) approved Arizona Public Service's (APS) proposal to raise its rates and burden ratepayers with higher electricity bills, enabling APS to double down on coal and gas. The rate increase will bolster APS shareholder profits while prolonging operation of the utility’s outdated Four Corners Generating Station despite cheaper clean energy alternatives. Commissioner Tovar was the sole dissenting vote.
NEW ORLEANS, La. — After years of dedicated work, clean air advocates in Louisiana scored a victory with the approved retirements of two large coal-fired power plants. Yesterday, the Louisiana Public Service Commission voted to approve Entergy Louisiana’s long-range energy plan, known as an Integrated Resource Plan. The IRP includes the retirements of Big Cajun 2 Unit 3 in 2025 and RS Nelson Unit 6 in 2028. These are the 378th and 379th coal plants to announce a retirement since the start of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Friday, the Tennessee Valley Authority announced it will move forward with plans to build a new gas plant and pipeline, forcing families in the Tennessee Valley to foot the bill for the polluting and outdated fossil fuel infrastructure.
St. Louis, MO – Today, Ameren Missouri announced its plan to build a gas peaker plant at its shuttered Meramec coal plant, located at the confluence of the Meramec and Mississippi Rivers.
Ameren must be significantly transparent to its customers considering this is the same utility that released more than ten years worth of illegal sulfur dioxide pollution at its Rush Island coal plant. The monopoly utility’s gas peaker plant proposal raises the following questions:
Lansing, MI – Environmental and housing advocates, Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) staff, the Attorney General’s office, and Consumers Energy reached a new agreement that will expand energy efficiency – referred to as energy waste reduction (EWR) – programs and investments following approval by MPSC Commissioners today.
Phoenix, AZ – Today, the EPA released updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter (PM2.5) to curb the deadly air pollutant that significantly harms public health, causing premature death and decreased lung function, and that is responsible