Renewable energy like wind and solar has saved electricity customers millions of dollars during heat waves and prolonged cold snaps. Photo: Shutterstock
May 6, 2026 (Providence, RI) – Governor Dan McKee released a budget amendment that would gut Rhode Island’s Renewable Energy Standard. The law currently requires Rhode Island to generate 100% of the state’s electricity with renewable energy by 2033. McKee’s amendment would use faulty math and flashy gimmicks to cut the target to 75% by 2050.
“Clean energy is affordable energy. Rolling back a law that brings more of it online makes no sense,” said Jamie Rhodes, director of clean buildings at Conservation Law Foundation (CLF). “Solar and wind are already saving customers across the region millions of dollars. To walk back in the name of making energy cheaper is disingenuous. Now our legislators have the opportunity to do what’s right by our families and businesses.”
Throughout the last year, renewable energy has saved electricity customers millions of dollars during heat waves and prolonged cold snaps. Meanwhile, fossil fuel supply wildly fluctuated, and even spiked in cost in the winter. Rolling back the Standard keeps Rhode Island residents locked onto price-volatile gas and oil for longer than they should be, at the sacrifice of every family’s wallet.
Now, the House will introduce their own budget. Our legislators need to take cues from their constituents and reject the amendment, rather than rolling over to fossil fuel companies the way McKee did.
CLF experts will provide testimony against McKee’s budget amendment during a hearing on Wednesday, May 6, before the House Finance Committee.
CLF experts are available for comment
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