In a highly controversial move, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an emergency order to prevent the scheduled closure of the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Michigan, mandating its continued operation through at least late August. The order, signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and rooted in wartime emergency authority under the 1935 Federal Power Act, overrides years of coordinated planning by Consumers Energy, Michigan regulators, and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), all of whom had concluded the plant's closure posed no risk to grid reliability.

Critics from environmental and consumer advocacy groups swiftly denounced the order as a politically motivated abuse of executive power designed to prop up the coal industry. The DOE cited vague concerns about potential electricity shortages in the Midwest, though no official reliability body—neither MISO nor state regulators—had requested such intervention. The Sierra Club and Public Citizen labeled the action a "manufactured emergency" intended to fulfill President Trump’s pro-coal agenda.

The J.H. Campbell plant’s closure, scheduled for May 31, was part of a broader strategy to eliminate coal use by 2025 and transition Michigan to 100% carbon-free power by 2040. Consumers Energy had already secured replacement capacity through a 1,200-megawatt gas plant and expanding investments in solar and storage. DOE’s decision raises questions about who will bear the financial burden of keeping the uneconomical plant running. Analysts warn it could translate into increased costs for ratepayers.

With no formal cost-recovery plan in place and the plant expected to operate at a loss, watchdog groups are preparing to challenge the DOE-mandated filings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). “Trump is asking Americans to foot the bill for a political stunt,” said Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen. “This isn’t about reliability — it’s about optics.”

This action adds to a wave of recent executive orders aimed at reviving coal and curbing clean energy initiatives, stirring significant resistance from states and consumer protection groups alike.

“Today’s emergency order ensures that Michiganders and the greater Midwest region do not lose critical power generation capability as summer begins and electricity demand regularly reach high levels,” said Secretary Wright. “This administration will not sit back and allow dangerous energy subtraction policies threaten the resiliency of our grid and raise electricity prices on American families.”