POWER Magazine•15 days ago
DOE Uses Emergency Powers to Freeze More Than 2 GW of Coal Retirements as Opposition Intensifies
Key Takeaway
The DOE's aggressive intervention to halt coal retirements signals severe grid reliability concerns and introduces significant regulatory uncertainty for developers and large power consumers.
AI Summary
- •The DOE has utilized Section 202(c) emergency powers to freeze over 2 GW of coal retirements in December 2025 alone, with additional retirements stalled since May 2025.
- •This unprecedented federal intervention signals acute grid reliability concerns, potentially impacting capacity markets, energy prices, and the urgency for new generation development.
- •The action is facing immediate legal challenges from states and environmental groups, indicating significant regulatory uncertainty and potential for policy shifts regarding the generation mix.
Topics
capacity-marketemissionsfercpolicytransmission
Article Content
A rapid succession of Section 202(c) emergency orders has forced utilities to keep more than 2 GW of coal capacity online in December alone, marking an unprecedented federal intervention in grid operations and triggering legal challenges from states and environmental groups. Across all orders issued since May 2025, the DOE has now stalled the retirement […] The post DOE Uses Emergency Powers to Freeze More Than 2 GW of Coal Retirements as Opposition Intensifies appeared first on POWER Magazine .