Two major environmental groups have taken MidAmerican Energy to task for failing to set plans to close five remaining coal plants even as the company publicizes its push to meet customer needs with renewable energy. 

“For a 100 percent renewable vision to be legitimate, it must include development of diverse clean energy resources and phasing out of coal,” said Kerri Johannsen, energy program director at the nonprofit Iowa Environmental Council. “MidAmerican has no such plan in place even as other Midwestern utilities are announcing retirement of expensive and risky coal plants almost every week.” 

The Iowa Environmental Council and the Environmental Law and Policy Center filed documents with the Iowa Utilities Board after a hearing on MidAmerican’s Wind XII case pushing for a “comprehensive clean energy transition” at the investor-owned utility. The 3,700 megawatts in coal capacity is among the 20 largest in the country, the groups noted.

The filing by the environmental groups asks the utilities board to approve the Wind XII project with a requirement that MidAmerican reduce its coal capacity by the amount the new project would generate, and use a combination of wind, solar, storage and energy efficiency to move toward clean energy. 

MidAmerican, in response to a question from the Business Record, noted that it had retired four coal units as its wind energy expanded in recent years, cutting the utility’s carbon intensity by nearly 50 percent. 

“Our commitment to the development of clean energy is obvious. Given that, it’s astonishing that environmental groups are the ones speaking out against the Wind XII proposal,” the company stated.

“If approved, Wind XII would allow MidAmerican Energy to provide its customers with 100 percent renewable energy on an annual basis. To provide reliable service — to homes, businesses and industries — even when the wind doesn’t blow, it’s currently necessary to provide a mix of generation sources, including coal, nuclear and natural gas.”