Sander Kushen, sander.kushen@sierraclub.org
GLENDALE, Calif. – On Thursday, the Sierra Club filed an appeal to challenge the buildout of three new gas engines at the Grayson gas plant in Glendale. The gas engines were approved by the Glendale City Council last December. If built, they would constitute the last new gas-fired generation built in California, diverging from California’s mandate to reach 100% clean electricity by 2045.
In February 2022 the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit contesting the City’s approval of a faulty Environmental Impact Review that inflated the City’s energy reserve obligations in order to justify buying the new gas engines. But in July of this year, a judge ruled that Glendale is in fact required to keep high excess reserves, empowering Glendale to build the new engines.
Sierra Club is filing the appeal as Glendale’s utility undergoes its Integrated Resource Planning, which will determine the blueprint for Glendale’s power mix for the next twenty years and will be voted on by the City Council before the end of the year. Environmentalists have criticized the utility for failing to incorporate the City’s own environmental goals in its planning.
Morgan Goodwin, Senior Director of the Sierra Club’s Angeles Chapter, issued the following statement:
“After a disappointing original ruling, the Sierra Club is filing an appeal to halt the construction of additional fossil fuel infrastructure at the Grayson gas plant in Glendale. Building out Grayson is a losing proposition: Not only is this a step backward for our environment and air quality, it will also subject Glendale ratepayers to a 54% rate increase over two years, which includes paying for this gas plant. Ratepayers should not have to pay nearly $200 million for an unnecessary plant that will continue to warm the climate and pollute our air.
“The Sierra Club remains confident that no standard or policy requires Glendale to build out this excessive electric capacity, and we are committed to pursuing all legal avenues to ensure that the Court’s ruling affirms that.”
Read more about this history of this campaign on our blog here.
Read Sierra Club’s recommendations to Glendale Water & Power on their forthcoming Integrated Resource Plan here.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.