A federal appeals court unanimously rejected the Trump administration's emergency order to keep Michigan's 64-year-old JH Campbell coal plant open, ruling that the Energy Department lacked authority to invoke emergency powers under the Federal Power Act. The court found no genuine emergency justifying the reversal of the plant's planned retirement, though the Energy Department argued the orders prevented blackouts during peak winter demand.
A U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the Trump Administration's 2025 order keeping Michigan's J.H. Campbell coal plant operating was illegal, finding the Department of Energy lacked authority to override the state-approved retirement plan. The plant was originally scheduled to close in May 2025 as part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions, but emergency orders kept it open, costing Consumers Energy $295 million that would be passed to customers.