US court rejects Trump’s emergency order keeping Michigan coal plant open

What the report says

A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, has ruled that the US Energy Department overstepped its authority when it ordered Michigan’s JH Campbell coal-fired power plant to keep running past its planned retirement. The unanimous decision, issued Friday by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, rejected the administration’s claim that an emergency justified extending the plant’s life.

According to Al Jazeera, the plant in West Olive, Michigan, had been set to close in May 2025, but it remained open under emergency orders from Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The case is part of a wider push by the Trump administration to keep older coal plants operating amid concerns about electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence, data centres and winter storm-driven reliability risks.

Judge Cornelia Pillard wrote for the panel that the Federal Power Act’s emergency provision was meant to be used only as a narrow last resort. She said the plant’s reversal from a long-planned retirement was disruptive. The ruling also noted the operational costs had reached about $259 million, and opponents argued those costs could eventually be passed on to households and businesses in the region.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who joined officials from Illinois and Minnesota in challenging the order, welcomed the court’s decision. The Energy Department defended its actions, saying the orders helped avert blackouts and save lives during peak demand. Al Jazeera reports that similar emergency orders have been used for plants in other states, underscoring the broader legal and policy fight over federal intervention in aging power generation.