As another coal plant closes, solar energy keeps shining in Mississippi

With dirty coal plants unable to cover costs, investing in solar jobs is the best choice

GREENWOOD, Miss. - Citing a lack of economic viability, a city-owned electric utility in Mississippi will close the Henderson Station coal plant in May 2018. The announcement highlights that consumers are continuing to choose clean energy as a superior alternative to dirty, expensive coal-fired electric power plants.

The news comes after a strong “Summer of Solar” in Mississippi, with sustained growth in the state’s clean energy capacity. This year alone, enough solar energy to power 15,000 Mississippi homes was installed at three facilities near Gulfport, in Lamar County at Sumrall and in Hattiesburg. In addition, a 52 Megawatt solar-powered station recently broke ground in Lauderdale County, which will provide cost-saving, renewable energy to the equivalent of another 5,400 Mississippi homes and businesses.

Clean energy is rapidly replacing uneconomical, dirty coal plants across the country as America transitions to a clean energy economy. In addition to executing their grassroots based, nationwide campaigns to quicken this transition, Sierra Club and its partners are proactively advocating for the development of programs and policies that help displaced fossil fuel workers find good, union wage jobs in the clean energy space.

In response, Sierra Club State Director Louie Miller, issued the following statement:

“Clean, renewable solar energy is gaining momentum across Mississippi now more than ever -- and that’s what consumers are choosing. With outdated and inefficient coal plants continually unable to cover costs, we need to acknowledge that investing in solar jobs is the best choice we can make for public health and economic vitality in Mississippi."