In a substantial move for environmental progress, Mayor Karen Bass has declared that Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city, will no longer invest in coal for its energy needs, cementing a coal-free L.A. and forging ahead on the city's path to 100% clean energy by 2035, according to an official announcement. The city's power supply officially cut ties with its last coal-powered energy source from the Intermountain Power Project in Utah just last week.
"This is a defining moment for the City of Los Angeles. L.A.'s coal divestment is not just about discontinuing the use of coal to power our city — it’s about building a clean energy economy that benefits every Angeleno. This milestone will further accelerate our transition to 100 percent clean energy by 2035," Mayor Bass said, highlighting the broader economic advantages these environmental efforts are expected to bring; Councilmember Adrin Nazarian also remarked on the city's position as a climate change combatant, underscoring L.A.'s unique advantage because of its municipally-owned power structure, according to a statement obtained by the Mayor's Office.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has supplanted its coal energy sources with hydrogen-capable units that currently utilize natural gas and are designed to eventually transition to running entirely on green hydrogen—the switch to green hydrogen as part of the fuel mix is slated for 2026. Janisse Quiñones, CEO and Chief Engineer of LADWP, expressed that the move mirrors the collective efforts of employees, customers, and officials working toward a more resilient energy future for the city, as revealed in the announcement.
Amid the prowess and leadership lauded by Evan Gillespie of Industrious Labs, the city's strides away from coal have maintained economic connections with Utah and bolstered local energy initiatives, with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator's Matt Petersen appreciating the advancements as the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games approach; and the Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center, finished over the summer, now powers more than 260,000 households with solar energy, making LADWP's supply more than 60 percent clean energy in 2025, these are just a couple of examples of the city's dedication to clean energy, as reported by city representatives. Building on the groundwork of former Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Eric Garcetti, Mayor Bass is now leading the current charge against climate change, exemplifying the practical alignment of environmental stewardship and economic dynamism.
