Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order directing several utilities—including Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Platte River Power Authority, Salt River Project, PacifiCorp, and Public Service Company of Colorado—to ensure Unit 1 of the Craig coal plant remains operational under the direction of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP).
The order, effective from June 29, 2026, through September 26, 2026, requires SPP to economically dispatch Craig Unit 1 to minimize costs to ratepayers. The unit was originally scheduled for closure at the end of 2025, but this directive extends its operation by nearly nine months.
Secretary Wright emphasized that removing reliable generation from the grid compromises energy reliability and raises costs, stressing the importance of affordable, dependable energy during peak summer demand.
The Department of Energy credits President Trump’s leadership with preventing premature coal plant closures nationwide, noting that over 17 gigawatts of coal-generated electricity were retained in 2025. The DOE’s Resource Adequacy Report also suggests that blackouts could increase significantly by 2030 if reliable power sources are retired.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment highlights potential challenges in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) Rocky Mountain region, citing aging thermal resources, unplanned outages, and supply chain issues.