U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has renewed an emergency order to keep the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan, operational due to concerns about grid reliability in the Midwest. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), working with Consumers Energy, has been directed to ensure the plant remains available and operates efficiently to reduce costs for consumers. The Campbell Plant had been scheduled for closure on May 31, 2025, well before its intended design lifespan.
“The energy sources that perform when you need them most are inherently the most valuable—that’s why beautiful, clean coal was the MVP of recent winter storms,” said Secretary Wright. “Hundreds of American lives have likely been saved because of President Trump’s actions saving America’s coal plants, including this Michigan coal plant which ran daily during Winter Storm Fern. This emergency order will mitigate the risk of blackouts and maintain affordable, reliable, and secure electricity access across the region.”
During recent winter storms, particularly Winter Storm Fern from January 21 to February 1, the Campbell Plant provided more than 650 megawatts each day. Officials argue that closing it would make the electric grid more vulnerable. According to Secretary Wright, President Trump’s administration has played a role in reversing plans to close coal plants nationwide; in 2025 alone, over 17 gigawatts of coal-powered generation were preserved ahead of severe weather events.
Since DOE’s original order on May 23, the Campbell Plant has played a key part in MISO’s operations by providing consistent power during periods when demand is high or renewable output is low. Additional orders followed on August 20 and November 18 of last year.
DOE’s Resource Adequacy Report warns that taking reliable power sources offline could increase outages significantly by 2030 if current trends continue. The emergency conditions cited in previous orders remain unresolved.
Recent studies by NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) covering both winter reliability assessments for 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 found that MISO faces elevated risks with possible shortages during periods of high demand or reduced supply from weather-dependent resources. NERC’s long-term outlook also highlights growing risks as energy systems shift toward renewables and away from traditional fuel diversity.
The new emergency order is effective from February 17 through May 18, 2026.
Background information shows that MISO’s planning resource auction results for the upcoming year indicate insufficient new capacity additions in northern and central zones—including Michigan—to offset retirements and other losses. In response to changing reliability risks throughout all seasons—not just summer—MISO sought approval from FERC in late 2021 to adjust its resource adequacy requirements accordingly; this request was approved in August 2022.
In related efforts to improve energy resilience and lower costs nationwide, programs such as those funded under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aim to implement updated building energy codes across states with $225 million allocated for these initiatives (https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-launches-225-million-program-lower-utility-bills-through-more). Additionally, technology development at national laboratories continues supporting environmental management missions like groundwater remediation at former coal sites (https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/srs-tackles-groundwater-issue-using-innovative-passive-energy-process).
The Department of Energy also supports broader transitions toward clean energy through funding opportunities—for example, $96 million announced in July 2022 for advancing clean vehicle technologies (https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-96-million-advancing-clean-vehicle-technologies-reduce-carbon-emissions)—and numerous programs aimed at ensuring disadvantaged communities benefit from federal investments via initiatives such as Justice40 (https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-more-140-programs-supporting-president-bidens-justice40-initiative).
