Securitization is a key financing tool that can help electric utilities accelerate the retirement of uneconomic polluting coal plants and move more quickly toward a grid powered by clean, safe renewable energy, according to a new report from the Sierra Club.
Press Releases
ST. LOUIS, MO -- A peer-reviewed analysis of coal-fired power plants operating in markets across the United States, released by the Sierra Club earlier today, finds that many coal plants in market regions operate uneconomically and more than warranted by market conditions.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a public hearing today to take input on “Phase 2b” of its proposed rollbacks of safeguards against coal ash pollution. The proposal under consideration would gut federal safeguards for coal ash waste piles and construction projects that use the toxic ash as a substitute for clean soil.
Donald Trump seemingly broke a long-held, bipartisan norm last night by seeking to fill only one of two open seats on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Rather than following established custom and pairing a Republican with a Democrat, Trump nominated only Republican James Danly, despite there being a qualified Democrat put forward. This decision harms the deliberative process in the Senate and FERC’s mission of being a fair, nonpolitical arbiter of America’s energy markets.
Air pollution reduction systems at Duke Energy’s Allen Steam Station near Belmont are not working efficiently, and the rate at which nitrogen oxides are emitted by the plant has increased in recent years, according to a report commissioned by the Sierra Club.
FERC announced a new rulemaking today that would dramatically alter how small clean energy resources are compensated under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)
An independent analysis released today finds that Arizona’s electric utilities can save more than $3 billion by replacing all remaining coal-burning power plants with new renewable energy resources. The Arizona Coal Plant Valuation Study, conducted by energy consulting firm Strategen, analyzes the cost of replacing the 11 existing coal units that provide power to Arizona customers with renewable energy, like solar and wind, as well as market purchases. These savings exceed $10 billion when also accounting for the societal costs of greenhouse gas emissions and the financial tools available to help transition away from coal. All units evaluated are slated for retirement after 2035, with the analysis assuming an earlier retirement of 2023.
The Sierra Club, along with Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Respiratory Health Association (RHA), are seeking approval of a proposed settlement with Illinois Power Resources Generating, LLC (IPRG), an affiliate of Vistra Energy, of a Clean Air Act lawsuit brought by environmental organizations in 2013. The settlement, which must still undergo review and approval from the Judge in the case, includes the retirement of the E.D. Edwards coal-fired power plant by the end of 2022 and $8.6 million in funding for workforce development and public health and environmental projects that benefit Peoria-area communities.
Sierra Club’s new national ad in response, “Duke Energy burns coal like it's 1499” kicks off today and mocks Duke’s claim of moving “beyond coal,” by noting other ancient practices that have been left by the wayside while Duke continues to burn an archaic, toxic energy source: burlap sacks for clothing, whale blubber lanterns for light and flag signals for communications.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Duke Energy wants to burn dirty, uneconomic coal for several more decades and add massive amounts of dangerous fracked gas in North and South Carolina, according to its latest filings with state regulators.