DOE Emergency Order Keeps Centralia Coal Plant Open
Summary
The Department of Energy issued an emergency order to keep Unit 2 of the Centralia coal plant in Washington available to operate, reversing its scheduled shutdown. This action aims to ensure affordable, reliable, and secure electricity for the Northwest region and mitigate blackout risks.
What changed
The U.S. Department of Energy, through an emergency order issued by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on March 16, 2026, has directed TransAlta to keep Unit 2 of the Centralia Generating Station operational. This order overrides the plant's scheduled shutdown at the end of 2025 and is in effect from March 17, 2026, through June 14, 2026. The DOE cites critical grid reliability issues and the risk of blackouts in the Northwestern United States as the primary reasons for this intervention, asserting that the reliable supply of power from this plant is essential for grid stability.
This action requires TransAlta to maintain Unit 2's availability, impacting its operational plans. Regulated entities, particularly those in the energy sector operating within or supplying the Northwest region, should be aware of this temporary extension of the Centralia plant's operation. While no specific compliance actions are mandated for external parties, the order highlights the DOE's focus on maintaining generation sources to prevent price spikes and ensure energy security. The order's duration suggests a temporary measure, and further developments regarding the plant's long-term status or broader energy policies should be monitored.
What to do next
- Monitor DOE directives regarding the Centralia Generating Station's operational status beyond June 14, 2026.
- Assess regional grid reliability and energy supply considering the temporary extension of the Centralia coal plant.
Source document (simplified)
Trump Administration Keeps Coal Plant Open to Ensure Affordable, Reliable and Secure Power in the Northwest
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today issued an emergency order to ensure Americans in the Northwestern region of the United States have access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity.
March 16, 2026
Emergency order addresses critical grid reliability issues, lowering risk of blackouts and ensuring affordable electricity access.
WASHINGTON —U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today issued an emergency order to ensure Americans in the Northwestern region of the United States have access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity. The order directs TransAlta to keep Unit 2 of the Centralia Generating Station in Centralia, Washington available to operate. Unit 2 of the coal plant was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2025. The reliable supply of power from the Centralia plant is essential to maintaining grid stability across the Northwest, and this order ensures that the region avoids unnecessary blackout risks and costs.
“The last administration’s energy subtraction policies had the United States on track to likely experience significantly more blackouts in the coming years — thankfully, President Trump won’t let that happen,” said Energy Secretary Wright. “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. Americans deserve access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy to power their homes all the time, regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.”
Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, coal plants across the country are reversing plans to shut down. On December 16, 2025, Secretary Wright issued an emergency order directing TransAlta to keep Unit 2 (729.9 MW) available to operate.
According to DOE’s Resource Adequacy Report, blackouts were on track to potentially increase 100 times by 2030 if the U.S. continued to take reliable power offline as it did during the Biden administration.
This order is in effect beginning on March 17, 2026, through June 14, 2026.
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Tags:
- Coal
- Electricity
- Emergency Response
Media Inquiries:
(202) 586-4940 or DOENews@hq.doe.gov
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