Renewable Energy Boom Could Bring Thousands of Jobs to Utah and Wyoming

Salt Lake City, UT – Today the Sierra Club, in partnership with Current Energy Group, published a new report, Utah and Wyoming: Economic Opportunities in PacifiCorp’s Renewable Energy Transition that provides a detailed analysis of how investments in renewable energy could create thousands of long-term, good-paying jobs while boosting economic activity and generating critical tax revenue for communities in both states.

The report comes as PacifiCorp, the region’s largest electric utility, has backtracked on clean energy investments and delaying coal plant closures indefinitely. At the same time, recent legislative efforts in Utah and Wyoming have continued to favor fossil fuels, prioritizing outdated energy sources over the clear economic benefits of renewable energy. 

During a time when states like Utah and Wyoming have resisted cost-effective clean energy solutions – with PacifiCorp raising power bills while clinging to an outdated business model reliant on coal and gas – communities are left paying the price. The consequences are clear: worsening climate disasters like the 2020 wildfires in Oregon, rising electricity costs, and legislative efforts across the West designed to shield utilities from liability rather than hold them accountable. Now more than ever, communities need a path forward that ensures economic security, supports workers, and protects the places they call home. This report provides that roadmap, demonstrating how a clean energy transition can create lasting economic opportunities. 

Key findings from the Report: 

• Investing in renewable energy in Utah and Wyoming would create thousands of new jobs, with workers in clean energy projected to earn significantly higher salaries than current state averages
• The High Renewables scenario analyzed in the report would generate 18.247 more job-years than a low-renewables approach
• Increased renewable energy investments would drive billions in economic growth and provide critical tax revenue to support public services such as schools and hospitals, more than offsetting lost revenue from fossil fuel retirements

“PacifiCorp has long prioritized outdated, costly coal plants over clean energy solutions, despite overwhelming evidence that renewable energy is the better economic choice,” said Rose Monahan, Staff Attorney for the Sierra Club. “Sierra Club has long pushed the utility to evaluate the true cost of its coal fleet, and results have consistently shown that much if not all of PacifiCorp’s coal resources are unnecessarily expensive for customers. This report makes clear that Utah and Wyoming have a tremendous opportunity by embracing a clean energy future.”

“In Utah, we’ve been consistently told that transitioning away from coal would devastate our rural communities, but this report reveals a different reality,” said Luis Miranda, Utah-based Campaign Organizer for the Sierra Club. “The data confirms that a shift to renewable energy isn’t just necessary – it’s an economic opportunity. The only question that remains is whether Utah’s leaders and utilities will act on this opportunity or leave workers and communities behind.”

“For too long, Wyoming has relied on fossil fuel extraction as its primary economic driver, but that approach is failing our workers and communities,” said Emma Jones, Climate and Energy organizer for the Sierra Club in Wyoming. “Our state’s most important export today isn’t coal or natural gas – it’s jobs. Young people and skilled workers are leaving because Wyoming’s economy is stagnating. Meanwhile, we continue operating some of the dirtiest coal plants in the country, threatening the landscapes that make Wyoming special. This report makes it clear: investing in renewable energy can diversify our economy, create good-paying jobs, and provide clean, affordable energy for our communities.”

###