April 8, 2025

Columbia, S.C. -- Donald Trump's executive orders aim to force coal plants to remain open past their scheduled retirement dates by invoking an outdated wartime law that allows the Department of Energy to compel power plants to temporarily remain operational. Donald Trump attempted a similar strategy during his first administration, but failed. Nearly 100 coal plants retired or announced retirements during Trump's first term.

By extending the lifespan of coal-fired power plants that are already scheduled to retire and placing aggressive tariffs on renewable energy, Trump's policies will raise monthly energy bills for everyday Americans. On average, renewable energy costs 30 percent lessthan coal for the same energy output.

Since 2009, Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign has successfully advocated for the retirement of 389 coal-fired power plants. Last year, coal production fell to a historic low, making up only 15 percent of U.S. electricity generation. Meanwhile, renewable energy has rapidly overtaken coal and made up nearly a quarter of the U.S. grid in 2024.

Duke earned 2 out of 100 in the inaugural release of the Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledgesin 2021, and climbed to 20 out of 100 in 2024. While it made progress in some states, Duke Indianasaw its grade slide from 13 to 0 over the same period due to the extended timeline of coal plant operations and lack of clean energy investments.

Duke signaled it may burn more coalunder a Trump Administration even as the planet surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsiusof human-caused warming, and despite the fact that clean energy like wind and solar is more affordablethan 99 percent of all U.S. coal plants. Duke provideselectricity to customers in Indiana, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Carolina. Bloombergreports that Duke Energy "removed a mention of climate targets in its latest earnings release as the company builds more natural gas plants and reconsiders its coal plans."

Dominion Energy earned 43 out of 100 in the 2024 Dirty Truth report. Both Dominion South Carolina and Virginia made improvements from their grades. But Dominion has recently announced it plans to keep coal plants online past planned retirement dates in both Virginiaand South Carolina. By continuing to burn coal, Dominion Energy is not only set on polluting communities already burdened by overwhelming energy bills, but will make them pay even more to upgrade these aged plants that are already prone to failures.

Sierra Club's next Dirty Truth report will be released this September.

Statement from Paul Black, Carolinas Senior Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer with the Sierra Club:

"Burning coal is one of the dirtiest and most expensive ways to make energy. 90-year-old emergency wartime laws don't change the economics of this equally outdated industry. In recent years, Duke and Dominion executives have repeatedly pushed for their customers to pay the price of keeping aging, inefficient coal plants open for longer. South Carolina ratepayers should not be forced to prop up a dying industry that already poisons our health, pollutes our communities, and robs our pocketbooks. We need Duke and Dominion to step up and make meaningful investments in renewable energy, efficiency, and storage."

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.

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