Breaking News · Sep 11, 2026Court Strikes Down Trump Order Keeping Michigan Coal Plant Open

KEMETIC MINDS — BREAKING NEWS
September 11, 2026

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A federal court ruled Friday that the Trump administration improperly stretched the bounds of its emergency powers when it ordered a Michigan coal plant to stay open just days before it was set to go cold ^[1] — a decision that could affect similar orders at other plants ^[2].

Key Facts

• The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on September 11 that the U.S. Department of Energy does not have the authority to prevent the retirement of power plants, and that the agency’s justification for its emergency orders is unlawful ^[2].
• The case involved the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in Michigan. The court said keeping a power station online absent an imminent need to do so does not qualify as justification ^[2].
• Judge Cornelia Pillard, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, called the section of the Federal Power Act used to issue the order — Section 202(c) — “essentially a narrow, last-resort backstop” ^[2].
• The administration’s order was issued days before the plant was scheduled to close ^[1].
• The ruling could impact other orders issued to keep U.S. power plants operating past their scheduled retirement dates ^[2].

What the Court Found

Pillard wrote that reversing the Campbell plant’s “long and carefully planned retirement,” meant the results were “disruptive” ^[2].

The panel found there was “no ’emergency’ within the meaning” of the statute ^[2]. Section 202(c), Pillard wrote, is a backup tool for genuine emergencies, not a general power over plant retirements ^[2].

Before last year, the Department of Energy had never in its nearly 50-year history ordered U.S. power generating units to keep producing after their scheduled retirement dates ^[2]. The agency has since issued such orders to six U.S. power plants in five states, according to the groups challenging them ^[2].

Both Sides on the Emergency Orders

Energy Secretary Chris Wright has repeatedly said the orders are needed to maintain electricity reliability, and recently said, “Taking reliable generation offline compromises energy reliability and needlessly raises energy costs for Americans” ^[2].

Critics say the orders are raising electricity prices and adding air and water pollution that could otherwise have been avoided ^[2].

Earthjustice, the Sierra Club and Urban Core Collective are among the groups challenging what they called the DOE’s illegal application of Section 202(c) ^[2].

“The court rebuked the Trump administration’s abuse of emergency powers,” said Michael Lenoff, an Earthjustice attorney ^[2]. He added: “The DOE needs to stay in its lane and use its emergency powers only in actual emergencies. Preventing the market-driven retirements of coal plants to advance a coal-friendly agenda is not a proper use of emergency powers. We will continue to challenge unlawful orders if DOE persists in issuing them” ^[2].

The DOE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday’s ruling ^[2].

What’s Still Unconfirmed

The Department of Energy has not yet responded to the ruling, so it is not confirmed whether the agency will appeal or how it will treat the other orders now in place ^[2]. The sourcing does not state how soon the Campbell plant could now close.

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References

1. MSN. (2026, September 11). Court rejects Trump administration order that stalled Michigan coal plant closure. msn.com ↩a ↩b
2. Powermag. (2026, September 11). Court Rules Against Trump Order to Keep Michigan Coal-Fired Plant Operating. powermag.com ↩a ↩b ↩c ↩d ↩e ↩f ↩g ↩h ↩i ↩j ↩k ↩l ↩m ↩n ↩o ↩p ↩q

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