Florida Electric Utilities Fail to Meet 2035 Climate Goals, Says Sierra Club
By Joelnix Boada, Huella Zero
A study by the environmental organization Sierra Club indicates that at least 75 utilities in Florida are failing to make progress in phasing out fossil fuels, jeopardizing the clean energy transition climate goals set for 2035.
The Dirty Truth Report, published in September 2025, evaluated and graded these utilities on their clean energy transition plans, based on their commitments to abandon coal and avoid gas generation.
Since the Sierra Club began this assessment in 2021, it has observed that most utilities have failed to adequately plan for the energy transition.
“Unfortunately, rather than correcting course, many utilities continue to stall, stalling as projected energy demand increases and the transition becomes more urgent,” the study warns.
The utilities evaluated received an average score of 15 out of 100. Of the 65 electric utilities that have declared environmental goals, only three achieved the highest rating, while 60% received failing grades, such as D or F.
According to the report, 65% of the utilities improved their clean energy scores over the past five years, 33% worsened their scores for coal, and 69% for gas.
What are some of these utilities in Florida?
The report details that, by 2024, at least 16 utilities have canceled previously made climate commitments. These changes are mostly attributed to concerns related to the timing, costs, and feasibility of the proposed plans.
“Had these companies taken their commitments seriously and developed concrete strategies from the outset, they would be in a much better position today, both to meet their climate commitments and to address load growth, grid resilience, and affordability,” the report notes.
Among the companies mentioned is Entergy, an electricity provider in the southern US, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. In 2022, it pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, although its goal could now be delayed for an as yet undetermined period beyond that date.
Duke Energy, one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, with operations in North Carolina, Florida, and other states, had set a goal of reducing emissions by 70% by 2030—based on its 2005 levels—but removed that goal from its environmental plan.
Evergy, the electric utility, completely eliminated its 2021 goal of reducing emissions by 70% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
Cleco, which operates in Louisiana, revised its target from a 60% reduction in 2030 to a 70% reduction by 2035, compared to 2011 levels.
American Electric Power (AEP), a multi-state energy provider in the Midwest and South, removed its interim goal—an 80% emissions reduction by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels)—from its website and sustainability report.
“Achieving net-zero emissions will require further advancement of affordable new generation technologies and an offsets market, as well as continued alignment with our states,” the AEP website states.
Arizona Public Service (APS), the main electricity provider in Arizona, “abandoned all of its pre-2050 climate commitments, including its goal of achieving 65% clean energy by 2030,” according to the report.
Lack of Planning
The organization warns that the lack of planning has intensified the risks associated with the energy system, increasing their potential consequences and generating both economic and operational emergencies.
These tensions are currently used by utility companies as an argument to continue relying on fossil fuels, rather than moving toward more sustainable alternatives.
“To meet the challenge of load growth, utilities should refine their demand forecasts and accelerate the construction of clean energy infrastructure,” explains the Sierra Club.
Finally, the report concludes that these companies must intensify their efforts to ensure a reliable, clean, and affordable electricity supply. “They must stop procrastinating and start making real and measurable progress.”
