U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has renewed an emergency order requiring the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan, to remain operational through May 18, 2026. The order was issued to address ongoing grid reliability concerns in the Midwestern United States and directs the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), along with Consumers Energy, to ensure the plant is available for operation and uses economic dispatch to minimize costs.
The Campbell Plant had been scheduled for closure on May 31, 2025, which is 15 years before its planned design life ends. The facility played a significant role during Winter Storm Fern from January 21 to February 1 by providing over 650 megawatts of electricity daily, helping stabilize the regional grid.
“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.”
According to Department of Energy reports, outages could become much more frequent by 2030 if reliable power sources continue to be retired prematurely. Since the initial DOE order on May 23, 2025—and subsequent orders in August and November—the Campbell Plant has operated regularly during high demand periods or when other energy sources were insufficient.
MISO’s service area continues to face reliability challenges both short- and long-term. Recent assessments from NERC have categorized MISO as at elevated risk due to potential shortages in operating reserves under above-normal conditions. NERC also warned that increased reliance on weather-dependent resources raises supply risks during winter months.
For the planning year 2025-2026, MISO found that new capacity additions were not enough to compensate for losses caused by decreased accreditation and resource retirements in northern and central zones such as Michigan. In response to year-round reliability concerns—not just summer peaks—MISO shifted its capacity requirements from annual summer-based calculations to seasonal assessments after approval from federal regulators in August 2022.
While some federal initiatives focus on expanding clean energy programs—such as a $225 million effort funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at implementing updated building energy codes nationwide (https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-launches-225-million-program-lower-utility-bills-through-more)—the immediate concern for regional authorities remains maintaining adequate conventional generation capacity during critical periods.
The current emergency order takes effect February 17 and extends through mid-May as authorities continue monitoring grid stability amid changing resource mixes.
