Rocky Mountain Power Scales Back Renewable Energy Plans

Clean energy advocates criticize utility's shift toward more fossil fuel investment.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:40am

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A minimalist abstract illustration composed of bold geometric shapes and primary colors, representing the competing energy sources and trends in Utah's electricity generation.A conceptual illustration depicting the tension between renewable energy and fossil fuel investments in Utah's energy future.Huntington Today

Utah's largest private utility, Rocky Mountain Power, has released an updated Integrated Resource Plan that significantly reduces its planned investments in solar, wind, and battery storage over the next three decades. Instead, the plan calls for increased reliance on natural gas generation, drawing criticism from clean energy advocates who argue the shift is contrary to the state's renewable energy goals.

Why it matters

Rocky Mountain Power's resource plan is a key indicator of the state's energy future. The utility's pivot away from renewable energy sources like solar and wind raises concerns about Utah's ability to meet its climate and clean energy targets, as well as the potential for higher electricity rates due to exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

The details

The updated Integrated Resource Plan reduces Rocky Mountain Power's planned investment in utility-scale solar by nearly 50%, from 4,765 megawatts to 2,477 megawatts by 2045. Wind generation plans are also down by about 80 megawatts, and battery storage supporting renewables has been scaled back by around 1,800 megawatts. Instead, the utility plans to invest in an additional 2,222 megawatts of new natural gas generation across its six-state service area.

  • The updated Integrated Resource Plan was released on March 31, 2026.
  • The original 2025 Integrated Resource Plan called for significantly more renewable energy investment.

The players

Rocky Mountain Power

Utah's largest privately held utility and a subsidiary of PacifiCorp, which serves customers across six western states.

Logan Mitchell

A climate scientist and energy advocate with Utah Clean Energy, a nonprofit organization promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Erin Baker

A professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and director of the Energy Transition Institute.

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What they’re saying

“It's a major missed opportunity. It will likely lock us into a more expensive generation mix that's riskier and exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices.”

— Logan Mitchell, Climate scientist and energy advocate, Utah Clean Energy

“Doubling down on natural gas when we have an international war going on ... it's not clear to me why they would do that.”

— Erin Baker, Professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst

What’s next

Energy and consumer watchdogs are closely monitoring Rocky Mountain Power's resource plan, as it will have significant implications for Utah's energy future and electricity rates. The state's governor has also launched 'Operation Gigawatt,' a initiative to more than double Utah's energy production over the next decade, which could be impacted by the utility's shift away from renewable energy.

The takeaway

Rocky Mountain Power's updated Integrated Resource Plan represents a major setback in Utah's transition to clean energy, raising concerns about the state's ability to meet its climate and renewable energy goals. The utility's increased reliance on fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, exposes ratepayers to the risk of volatile energy prices and undermines efforts to build a more sustainable, resilient energy system.