Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Expected to Announce Commitment to Scrap Plans to Rebuild Coastal Gas Plants

Los Angeles—Today, Mayor Garcetti’s office notified Food & Water Watch that the Mayor will announce plans tomorrow to scrap an update of Los Angeles’ three coastal gas-fired power plants, in favor of replacing the aging turbines with renewable energy. The announcement is expected to be made at a press conference at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). Food & Water Watch and its partners have campaigned against investing in updating the aging, dirty gas plants and in favor of switching to clean energy.

“Mayor Garcetti is showing the rest of the country what a Green New Deal can mean for our communities,” said Alexandra Nagy, senior organizer with Food & Water Watch. “We are hopeful that this is a first step to swiftly transition L.A. off fossil fuels and move the city to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030. Mayor Garcetti has listened to us and decided that Los Angeles can do better. It’s time to clean up our air, prioritize health communities and green jobs, and usher in a clean energy revolution.”

Last November, a study sponsored by LADWP showed there are viable options for replacing gas units with clean, renewable energy. And in March 2018, Food & Water Watch released a study by Synapse Energy Economics showing that Los Angeles could stop the gas plant repowering and transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030 at a cost that is cheaper than continuing to rely on fossil fuels. As the concept of a Green New Deal gains national momentum, Los Angeles is leading the way by making the transition off of fossil fuels a part of its framework for ambitious climate action. 

“We are grateful to our champions, like Councilmembers Mike Bonin and Paul Koretz, who have so clearly demanded an end to fossil fuel investments in Los Angeles and a swift move to 100 percent renewable energy for the sake of our climate,” said Nagy. “We look forward to working with all parties to ensure this transition happens rapidly while providing green jobs and reliable energy for our communities.”

An announcement from Mayor Garcetti is expected at LADWP Headquarters at 9:00 am, Tuesday, February 12 at 111 N. Hope St. Food & Water Watch and dozens of members of the community will attend the press conference, rally outside LADWP, and give comment at the department’s meeting scheduled for 10:00 am.

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Food & Water Watch champions healthy food and clean water for all. We stand up to corporations that put profits before people, and advocate for a democracy that improves people’s lives and protects our environment.