The U.S. Department of Energy has issued an emergency order requiring a Michigan coal-fired power plant to remain available to operate as federal officials cite continued concerns about electric grid reliability in the Midwest.
The order directs the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, to work with Consumers Energy to ensure the J.H. Campbell Generating Plant in West Olive, Michigan, can operate when needed during grid emergencies.
Under the order, the plant will use economic dispatch, a system intended to prioritize lower-cost electricity generation while maintaining grid reliability.
The order takes effect Nov. 15, 2026, and runs through Feb. 12, 2027.
The Campbell plant had been slated to shut down on May 31, 2025, about 15 years before the end of its scheduled design life.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said keeping facilities such as Campbell available can help prevent power outages during periods of high electricity demand.
“Ensuring coal plants such as the Campbell Plant are available to operate has prevented blackouts and likely saved lives,” Wright said in a statement. “Americans deserve access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.”
The Energy Department said the emergency conditions behind its original order have continued.
The department pointed to a joint report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and NERC’s regional entities examining the Winter 2026 Arctic Cold Period, including Winter Storm Fern.
According to the Energy Department, those events demonstrated the need for power sources capable of generating electricity on demand during periods of extreme weather and high demand.
The Trump administration has made keeping coal-fired power plants online part of its energy policy. The Energy Department said more than 17 gigawatts of coal-fired generating capacity that had been scheduled to go offline remained available in 2025.
The latest Campbell order extends the plant’s availability through much of the upcoming winter as federal officials continue to monitor reliability across the Midwest power grid.
