Coal plant ordered to stay open cost $29M to run in 5 weeks

By Brian Dabbs | 08/01/2025 06:37 AM EDT

DOE argued that the planned closure of Consumers Energy’s J.H. Campbell plant would affect grid reliability.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright departs an event in the East Room of the White House on June 26 in Washington. DOE in May ordered the central U.S. grid operator to keep open a western Michigan coal-fired power plant slated for retirement. Mark Schiefelbein/AP

A recent Department of Energy order to force a coal plant to operate past its planned retirement date cost the utility $29 million over just five weeks, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

In late May, DOE directed the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Consumers Energy to continue to operate the J.H. Campbell complex in Michigan, arguing its closure would risk power outages.

The Michigan attorney general, a Democrat, is litigating the directive alongside environmental groups.

“Between the start of the emergency order and June 30, 2025, the net financial impact of complying with the order was $29 million,” Consumers Energy said in its quarterly SEC filing.

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