NEW Sierra Club Report: South Carolina Utilities Backsliding on Clean Energy Transition

Columbia, S.C.- An annual apples-to-apples comparison of utility energy plans once again reveals that Dominion, Duke Energy, Santee Cooper are among the dirtiest utilities, and their plans to invest in renewable energy are substantially behind their peers throughout the country.

The Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledgesis an annual report that grades 75 utilities across the country on their plans to retire coal plants by 2030, not build new gas plants through 2035, and transition to clean energy through 2035. All three earned a score below the 15 out of 100 point average across all utilities.

The failing scores for Dominion, Duke, and Santee Cooper are the result of lackluster investments in renewable energy, like wind and solar, which provide affordable fixed-cost electricity to the grid without releasing any air or water pollution. All three utilities are pursuing new gas plants, while Dominion and Santee Cooper are both delaying the retirement of costly, polluting coal plants. Additionally, the price of building new gas plantsis going up, on top of concerns about gas-price volatility.

Dominionearned 0% (F) in 2021, peaked at 44% (C) in 2023, and fell back down to 0% (F) in the new report. Dominion has repeatedly delayed the retirement of its coal plants. This year, it announced plans to keep the Williams coal-burning power plant operating as late as 2034. Meanwhile, Dominion's most recent long-range energy plan places even higher costs on customers.

Duke Energy Carolinas & Progressearned 0% (F) in 2021, and it has inched up to 12% (F) this year. Duke Energy earned 11% (F) for its operations throughout the country, including Indianaand Florida. The increase in demand from new customers, like data centers, is a convenient scapegoat for Duke's failure to meaningfully invest in renewable energy.

Santee Cooperearned 11% (F) in 2021, and saw that drop down to 3% (F) this year. In its 2025 long-range energy plan, Santee Cooper slashed its solar investments from 2,600 megawatts (MW) down to a disappointing 800 MW. It has also committed to keep the Winyah coal-burning plant open and operating until at least 2033, and has no plan to shut down the Cross coal-burning power plant.

Statement by Paul Black, Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer in South Carolina:

"Dominion and Santee Cooper have spent this year doubling down on gas and coal. By committing to keep their coal plants open into the 2030s, with no reasonable investments in renewable energy, Dominion and Santee Cooper are making sure South Carolinians' utility bills will continue to rise while coal plants continue to pollute our air and water.

"The dirty truth about greedy Duke is that it wants to lock in massive utility bill increases before its merger, even as the utility raked in nearly $1 billion in profit just last quarter. Cancelling fixed-cost offshore wind and doubling down on increasingly expensive gas-burning power plants is what extracting wealth from South Carolinians and transferring it to Duke shareholders and multibillion dollar tech companies looks like."

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 https://www.sierraclub.org.