Trump's forced coal plant extensions thrown out by judge
A federal appeals court ruled that the Department of Energy's emergency declarations used to keep the J.H. Campbell coal plant open were invalid because no actual grid emergency existed. The unanimous panel determined that the administration failed to provide evidence of a critical supply shortage, contradicting the statutory requirements for such interventions. This decision is expected to apply to other coal plants that have been kept operational through similar DOE orders.
- ▪A unanimous three-judge panel from the DC Circuit Court of Appeals invalidated the DOE's emergency declarations regarding the J.H. Campbell Generating Plant.
- ▪The court found that the DOE provided no evidence of a critical supply shortage, noting that grid operators had already approved the plant's closure as safe.
- ▪The ruling interprets the Federal Power Act to mean that federal intervention in generation facilities should be rare and limited to immediate shortfalls.
- ▪The decision specifically affects the J.H. Campbell plant in Michigan but establishes legal reasoning that applies to all coal plants blocked from closing by the DOE.
- ▪The administration had used five separate 90-day emergency declarations to keep the inefficient and polluting plant operational despite state and environmental challenges.
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| Canonical URL | https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/09/court-rejects-governments-energy-emergency-that-kept-coal-plant-open/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 11 Sep 2026 20:32:59 +0000 |
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Crying wolf Trump’s forced coal plant extensions thrown out by judge The Department of Energy declared an “emergency” when none existed. John Timmer – Sep 11, 2026 4:32 pm | 26 The J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant. Credit: UCG The J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant. Credit: UCG Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav The use of coal to generate electricity on the US grid has been plunging for nearly two decades, and the first Trump administration was unable to affect the trend. So his second administration has attempted more aggressive interventions to prop up coal use.
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