Mayor: LA will ditch plan to rebuild natural gas plants

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says Los Angeles will abandon a plan to spend billions of dollars rebuilding three natural gas power plants as the city moves toward renewable energy.

The Los Angeles Times reported the decision marks an abrupt change of course for the Department of Water and Power, which has said the three coastal plants are critical to the city's electrical system. Environmental groups have urged the DWP to replace the aging Scattergood, Harbor and Haynes power plants with cleaner alternatives.

The move comes months after state lawmakers passed a bill requiring California to get 100 percent of its electricity from climate-friendly sources by 2045 — up from a previous target of 50 percent from renewables by 2030.