30% rate hike requested by Rocky Mountain Power partly due to Utah's legislation blocking shift from coal to lower-cost renewables.

Utah's opposition to renewable energy and reliance on fossil fuels is costing the state economically, according to Malin Moench. A 30% rate hike requested by Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) is partly due to Utah's legislation that blocks RMP's plans to shift from coal to lower-cost renewables. If RMP fully utilized the Inflation Reduction Act incentives to convert its grid to renewables, it could bring $15bn in industrial diversification, job creation, and tax revenue to Utah. The author argues that the potential economic benefits outweigh the state's other incentive programs and urges Utah's officials to seize the opportunity to modernize the state's economy and grid.

August 11, 2024
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