US Emergency Order Keeps Washington Coal Plant Operating
(Bloomberg) -- The US government has ordered a Washington state coal plant to continue operating past its scheduled retirement date, marking the third time the Trump administration has invoked emergency authorities to keep a power plant running.
The Energy Department’s order mandates that TransAlta Corp. keep the last remaining unit at its Centralia Generating Station in Centralia, Washington, operational past its planned retirement date at the end of this year. The agency cited an assessment by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation that concluded the region is at risk of power shortages during prolonged cold snaps.
“The Trump administration will continue taking action to keep America’s coal plants running so we can stop the price spikes and ensure we don’t lose critical generation sources,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement Wednesday.
Calgary-based TransAlta said it was evaluating the order, and “will work with the state and federal governments in relation thereto.”
The Trump administration has used orders typically reserved for extreme weather events and other emergencies to keep two other fossil fuel plants operating past their scheduled retirement dates. People familiar with the matter have said they intend to use the same process to keep others operating.
The department in May ordered the aging J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant, majority owned by Consumers Energy in West Olive, Michigan, to remain operating past its shutdown date and and issued a similar order to Constellation Energy Corp.’s Eddystone Generating Station located just south of Philadelphia. TransAlta has said it plans to convert the coal-fired unit affected by the order to natural gas by 2028, according to the Energy Department.
The moves have drawn criticism from environmental groups such as Earthjustice, which accused the Trump administration of “falsely invoking emergency powers” to side step the legal and regulatory decision-making process.
“Propping up the failing coal industry will raise electricity bills for Americans,” said Michael Lenoff, a senior attorney with the group. “Actions by the Trump administration to force jalopy coal plants to continue burning coal are an unprecedented power grab that cost communities in their wallets and their health.”
(Adds additional context, comment from environmental group.)
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