Court Rules Energy Secretary Exceeded Authority By Allowing Campbell Coal Plant to Remain Online
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit today ruled that the Department of Energy exceeded its statutory authority when, in May 2025, it issued an “emergency” order forcing the continued operation of J.H. Campbell Generating Plant, a coal fired power plant in Michigan. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright had ordered the plant in West Olive, Michigan, to continue operation, despite being scheduled to be shut down on May 31, 2025. In June 2025, Public Citizen joined a coalition of groups requesting rehearing of the Department’s order, in light of the blatant abuse of emergency powers used to force ratepayers to continue operating the uneconomic power plant. Many members of the coalition later petitioned for review in the D.C. Circuit.
In response to the ruling, Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, issued the following statement:
“President Trump and Secretary Wright exceeded their authority to use emergency powers to prop up uneconomic fossil fuels. The administration’s May 2025 action would have forced ratepayers to cover the costs of prolonging operation of the incredibly expensive and inefficient Campbell unit beyond its scheduled retirement.
“We applaud the coalition that pursued this case in the D.C. Circuit. Now that the court has ruled against the administration, we hope that Trump will stop declaring fake emergencies to prop up dirty coal power plants.”
Further Reading:
- May 2025: Trump’s Fake Energy Emergency Has Its First Victims: Michigan Ratepayers
- June 2025: Challenge To Trump’s Fake Emergency Bailout Of Campbell Coal Power Plant