DOE Emergency Order Keeps 1,420-MW Michigan Coal Plant Online

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued an emergency order directing the Midwest Independent System Operator, in coordination with Consumers Energy, to keep the 1,420-megawatt (MW) J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan available for operation and to employ economic dispatch to minimize costs.

The Campbell Plant had been slated to shut down on May 31, 2025, fifteen years before the end of its designed life. DOE's original order, dated May 23, 2205, and subsequent orders issued throughout 2025 and 2026, have kept the unit online during periods of high demand and low intermittent generation.

The order takes effect on August 17, 2026 and remains in force through November 14, 2026. In a statement, Secretary Wright said, "President Trump and the Energy Department remain committed to doing everything in our power to mitigate the possibility of power outages for American families and businesses...Ensuring coal plants such as the Campbell Plant are available to operate during periods of high electricity demand saves lives."

NERC's January 2026 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment flagged the MISO region as at high risk of energy shortfalls over the next five years, and its June 4, 2026 State of Reliability noted increasing difficulty for bulk power operators to manage "shoulder" conditions, leading to recent instances of pre-contingent load shedding.

DOE's Resource Adequacy Report warned that, absent intervention, the United States could face 100 times more blackouts in 2030. The administration cites that more than 17 gigawatts (GW) of coal-powered generation were saved from retirement in 2025, a trend it attributes to the current policy stance.