The Sierra Club released its Dirty Truth Report, giving 76 of the largest U.S. utility parent companies a collective F for progress on clean energy. The report says the sector is backsliding on climate commitments, as utilities slow coal plant retirements and plan significant new natural gas capacity, partly to meet anticipated demand from AI data centers.
Utilities’ overall score fell 11 points from the 2021 report, to 7 out of 100. The report says utilities now plan to retire just 25% of their coal capacity by 2030, down from the 35% they projected in 2023.
The report criticizes utilities for a lack of proactive planning. It says that has led them to rely on fossil fuels to meet rising electricity demand rather than capitalize on clean energy tax credits.