Evergy’s “Sustainability Transformation Plan” a Shift in the Right Direction

Details Will be Critical to Plan’s Success

Environment Missouri

Earlier today, Evergy announced a five-year strategic plan with a focus on cleaner energy and reducing carbon pollution. The plan, which Evergy is calling its Sustainability Transformation Plan, includes goals of expanding Evergy’s renewable energy and energy storage capacity, retiring aging coal-burning power plants, and improving both grid and energy efficiency. The Vision for a New Evergy Coalition–including the Climate + Energy Project, Environment Missouri, and the Sierra Club Kansas and Missouri chapters–is eager to work with Evergy as the utility cuts costs for customers by expanding wind and solar and ensures workers and frontline communities benefit from this transition away from fossil fuels.

“This plan is cause for optimism, and indicates Evergy has realized that clean energy is the future,” said Ty Gorman, Sierra Club’s Kansas Campaign Representative. “Last month, the Vision for a New Evergy Coalition called for Evergy to end coal power by 2025 and decarbonize by 2030 while centering the needs of our communities of color and low income communities in Kansas and Missouri. Today, Evergy said their plan has the ‘potential’ to reduce carbon emissions by 85% by 2030, which is a major step in the right direction from Evergy’s previous goals. We look forward to working with Evergy set specific coal plant retirement dates, accelerate decarbonization while reducing electric rates, and invest in impacted communities during the transition to clean energy.

“As a long time champion of a stakeholder-driven plan to equitably transition Kansas to a clean energy future, we are excited to see Evergy’s commitment to work closely with stakeholders. Their commitment to accelerated, responsible decarbonization helps protect our environment while growing the state’s economy,” said Dorothy Barnett, executive Director of the Climate + Energy Project.  

“Evergy’s Sustainability Transformation Plan gets us one big step further down the path to a more sustainable and equitable Kansas City metropolitan area. Evergy’s customers are looking forward to the end of expensive, dirty coal assets and a future with more clean renewable energy. We should also take great pride in this plan because it shows that Kansas City can be a national leader when it comes to working in coalition with utility companies and ratepayers in order to protect our environment,” said Bridget Sanderson, director of Environment Missouri. 

###

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million 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.

About the Climate and Energy Project

CEP is a Kansas-based, non-partisan 501(c)3 that seeks to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in America’s Heartland through the ambitious deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy, in policy and practice. For more information, visit climateandenergy.org

About Environment Missouri

Environment Missouri works for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife and open spaces, and a livable climate. Our members across the state put grassroots support behind our research and advocacy. Environment Missouri’s mission is to transform the power of our imaginations and our ideas into change that makes our world a greener and healthier place for all.  Environment Missouri is part of Environment America, a national network of 29 state environmental groups. For more information, visit www.environmentmissouri.org