Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order requiring TransAlta Centralia Generation LLC to keep Unit 2 of the Centralia Generating Station in Washington available for operation. This coal-fired power plant was scheduled to retire at the end of 2025.
The order aims to maintain affordable, reliable, and secure energy, reducing the risk of blackouts during peak summer demand in the Northwestern U.S. Centralia Unit 2 is seen as critical for grid reliability in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) Northwest region.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment indicates the WECC Northwest region faces a high risk of energy shortfalls over the next five years due to rapid demand growth. Periods of unserved energy are projected for both summer and winter seasons.
The emergency order will be in effect from June 15 through September 12, 2026. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data shows that in 2025, Centralia generated about 340,000 MWh monthly, providing significant generation capacity to the region.