Energy Department Orders Michigan's Campbell Coal Plant Kept Available Through February 12, 2027
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on November 14 issued an emergency order directing the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), in coordination with Consumers Energy Company, to ensure that the coal-fired J.H. Campbell Generating Plant in West Olive, Michigan, remains available to operate to address grid reliability issues in the Midwest. The new order takes effect on November 15, 2026, and runs through February 12, 2027.
The Campbell Plant has a capacity of 1,420 megawatts and was originally slated to shut down on May 31, 2025, 15 years before the end of its scheduled design life. The Energy Department has repeatedly ordered the plant kept available under emergency orders; the previous order expired on November 14, and the new order, No. 202-26-51, was issued under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.
The order directs MISO to keep the Campbell Plant available during the hours needed to meet the emergency and to use economic dispatch to minimize costs for families and businesses.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said President Trump and the Energy Department remain committed to doing everything in their power to stop power outages for American families and businesses, and that ensuring coal plants such as Campbell are available to operate has prevented blackouts and likely saved lives. Americans deserve access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining, he said.
The department said the emergency conditions that led to the original order persist. A joint report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and NERC's Regional Entities highlights how events during the Winter 2026 Arctic Cold Period, including Winter Storm Fern, demonstrated the need for dispatchable generation capacity from facilities like the Campbell Plant. The department also said that in 2025, more than 17 gigawatts of coal-fired generation across the country were saved from premature retirement.
(Source: U.S. Department of Energy)
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：密歇根州 West Olive 的 J.H. Campbell 燃煤发电厂航拍，湖畔为密歇根湖（2026年9月）。Goddom 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons，本图已裁为16:9。 / Photo: Aerial view of the J.H. Campbell coal-fired generating plant in West Olive, Michigan, on Lake Michigan, September 2026. Photo by Goddom, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped to 16:9.
