The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a series of emergency orders in December requiring four coal-fired power plants in the Midwest and Western United States to remain operational beyond their planned retirement dates, citing near-term reliability risks tied to rising electricity demand and accelerated generation retirements.
The orders were issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, which allows the energy secretary to direct generation during grid emergencies caused by shortages of electricity or generation capacity. All four orders cite similar drivers: growing load, limited new capacity additions, supply chain delays and heightened risk during extreme weather.
In Washington state, the DOE ordered TransAlta to keep Centralia Unit 2, an approximately 730-megawatt (MW) coal-fired unit, available for dispatch through March 16, 2026. The unit, which began operating in 1973, had been scheduled to retire at the end of December 2025 under a 2011 state law and agreement with Washington regulators. The order applies to the WECC Northwest region, which includes Washington, Oregon, Montana and parts of Idaho and California…