Clean Electricity

My Generation 
Clean energy activists touring Southern California’s dirtiest gas plants.

There are close to 200 existing gas-fired power plants operating in California, and the majority of them are near working families. In the electrical sector, we are working toward phasing out the dirtiest power plants in the state, located near working families, and replacing them with cost-effective clean energy resources.

Working families have long suffered the brunt of the burden of the fossil fuel economy, and an equitable clean energy future means healthy communities for a healthy future and a healthy planet. We must prioritize the retirement of the dirtiest power plants, and transform the most impacted communities into healthy and thriving communities.

 LADWP 

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) owns four methane gas power plants in the LA basin: Scattergood Generating Station, Haynes Generating Station, Harbor Generating Station, and Valley Generating Station. In order to meet their climate goals of 100% clean energy by 2035, LADWP has expressed plans to convert these gas power plants to burn hydrogen. Hydrogen combustion presents many risks, including: keeping gas plants online longer through burning a blend of hydrogen and methane gas, increasing NOx emissions in already overburdened and polluted communities, and investing money in expensive and risky new technologies.

We are working to educate decision-makers in Los Angeles and to build pressure to prevent the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) from moving forward with their plans for hydrogen combustion at its in-basin gas plants. We have explained to decision-makers why they should not pursue hydrogen retrofits of LA in-basin gas plants going forward.

We have convened a coalition of environmental justice organizations that are working to push LADWP toward true clean energy solutions. Through joint advocacy efforts, we secured a commitment from LADWP to contract with the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) to model alternatives to hydrogen combustion at its in-basin gas plants. We have also participated in a labor and climate coalition to help shape LADWP’s Equity Strategies Report, which provides recommendations to ensure an equitable 100% clean energy transition by 2035.

We continue to work closely with our allies and volunteers to ensure that Los Angeles not only meets its 100% clean energy by 2035 goal, without delay, but also that obtaining this goal does not rely on false climate solutions, like hydrogen combustion in overburdened communities. We continue to engage in LADWP’s Strategic Long Term Resource Plan (SLTRP) Advisory Group to push LADWP to pursue alternatives to hydrogen. Creating a safe and resilient future for all means investing in sound, effective, and economical climate solutions. 

2024 SLTRP Documents

  • Sierra Club & CEJA (Regenerate Campaign) Comments to LADWP on the 2024 Strategic Long-Term Resource Plan Modeling Assumptions (Aug. 2024) (link)
  • Sierra Club, NRDC, CBE Comments to LADWP on 2024 Inputs and Assumptions (June 26, 2024) (link)

2022 SLTRP Documents

  • Michael Goggin, Grid Strategies LLC, Going from LA100 to 100% Renewables: How transmission and markets can further reduce cost and pollution for LA residents (Sept. 2022) (link)
  • Sierra Club & CBE Comments to LADWP on the 2022 Strategic Long-Term Resource Plan Modeling Assumptions (Feb. 17, 2023) (link)
  • Sierra Club Concerns with Scattergood Modernization Project (Sept. 13, 2022) (link)
  • Sierra Club & CEJA (Regenerate California) Letter to LA City Council on the Hydrogen Hub (Mar. 2, 2022) (link)
  • LADWP Response Letter to Sierra Club on requests (Feb. 11, 2022) (link)
  • Sierra Club Letter to LADWP on requests for a no-combustion scenario, in-basin storage, and local benefits (Dec. 14, 2021) (link)
  • Sierra Club Letter to LADWP Board on Scattergood Modernization Project (Aug. 9, 2021) (link)

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