Renner Barsella, renner.barsella@sierraclub.org, 217-390-9394
Des Moines, IA -- Today, the Iowa Utilities Board announced its approval of MidAmerican’s Wind XII project. While applauding the significant advancement of clean energy, Sierra Club will continue to push MidAmerican to provide a true "100% clean energy" plan, one that phases out the Company's continued heavy reliance on coal generation.
The 591 megawatt wind farm project was proposed in May. MidAmerican claims that the project will represent the culmination of the company’s “100% clean energy vision,” a claim that the Sierra Club called “misleading” in a brief filed during the hearing process. The brief, filed in response to an Iowa Utility Board hearing on Wind XII held October 12th, supported the development of clean energy but seriously questioned the cost-effectiveness of MidAmerican’s nearly 3 gigawatts of coal. Even once Wind XII is completed, MidAmerican will continue to operate one of the 20 largest coal fleets in the country. Sierra Club pointed out that the Company has no plans to retire its coal plants and has done no analysis of whether its coal plants remain economic in light of regional energy market trends towards low cost wind. As it commends the approval of Wind XII, Sierra Club highlights that MidAmerican went so far as to advocate that the Iowa Utilities Board should have no opportunity to look into coal plant economics until the Company’s next rate case, even if it means customers may pay far more for electricity in the meantime.
Expert analysis found that several of MidAmerican’s coal plants are likely losing money, costing customers more money than the plants are earning.
In response, Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative Elizabeth Katt Reinders released the following statement:
“Sierra Club strongly supports investment in clean, responsibly-sited, renewable energy generation. But customers will not get the full benefits of clean energy development without a swift transition away from costly, polluting coal. It’s disingenuous for MidAmerican to claim that it will achieve its ‘100% renewable energy vision’ with Wind XII, when the truth is that the company owns one of of the largest coal fleets in the country, with no plans to retire those plants. Just ask the residents in the communities near any one of MidAmerican’s five coal plants, and they can tell you that MidAmerican’s ‘100% clean energy’ vision leaves them behind.
“Iowans are paying for MidAmerican’s dirty coal plants with their health and their wallets. MidAmerican must take common sense steps to ensure their resource mix is clean, reasonable, cost-effective, and in the public interest. Customers should be able to reap the benefits of low cost wind while avoiding the risks of paying too high a price for MidAmerican’s continued addiction to coal.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.