Trump coal plant order case
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
A federal appeals court on Friday rejected Trump's order keeping Michigan's J.H. Campbell coal plant open.
The ruling questions the administration's emergency-powers strategy to keep coal plants running.
Background
The Energy Department has used emergency powers under the Federal Power Act to force a half-dozen coal-fired plants to stay open past their retirement dates, citing energy emergencies. The J.H. Campbell plant in West Olive, Michigan, was set to close in May 2025, but the department ordered it to keep running and renewed the order every 90 days. Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, and environmental groups sued, arguing the emergency was fabricated and the plant was costly and polluting. The D.C. Circuit's ruling is the first court loss for this strategy.
How it unfolded
- May 2025The J.H. Campbell coal plant was scheduled to retire.
- For more than a yearThe Energy Department ordered the plant to stay open, renewing the order every 90 days, citing an energy emergency.
- Sep 10, 2026A separate report said a Trump administration order to keep a Colorado coal plant open would cost ratepayers millions.
- Sep 11, 2026The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the Energy Department exceeded its authority, siding with the states and environmental groups.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the 64-year-old plant was needed to ensure reliable electricity in the region.
- Support
- Environmental groups and the states of Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota argued the emergency was fabricated and the plant was out of date, costly, and one of the worst polluters in the state.
- Analysts
- The decision throws into question a central strategy the Energy Department has used to implement the Trump administration's policy to revive the coal industry.
Still unverified
The Energy Department has options for appealing the decision, including asking for the full D.C. Circuit to rehear the case or appealing directly to the Supreme Court, but no appeal has been filed.