The U.S. Department of Energy has issued emergency orders directing two Indiana coal-fired power plants to remain open through mid-December, citing regional power grid reliability.
The directive, announced Sept. 19 by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, targets specific units at the R.M. Schahfer and F.B. Culley generating stations. Both facilities had generation units slated for retirement at the end of 2025. Under the orders, which take effect Sept. 20 and run through Dec. 18, 2026, plant operators Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and CenterPoint Energy, along with grid manager Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), must keep those units available to run.
The Department of Energy first issued emergency orders for the Schahfer and Culley facilities on Dec. 23, 2025. Agency officials said the plants provided necessary power during periods of peak demand and low intermittent generation, including during Winter Storm Fern. According to the agency’s Resource Adequacy Report, shutting down baseload generation too quickly raises the likelihood of grid failures during severe weather…