US court rejects Trump’s emergency order keeping Michigan coal plant open
News Source
•Sat, 12 Sep 2026 15:34:51 +0000
📰 What Happened
A US appeals court has ruled against keeping a coal plant in Michigan open. The plant is 64 years old and was due to close. The court said the Energy Department went beyond its powers.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright had used emergency powers to keep the J.H. Campbell plant running. He said the region needed it for steady electricity. The three judges disagreed, and their decision was unanimous.
🔍 The Backstory
President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency in January last year. He pointed to rising power demand from artificial intelligence and data centres.
The law lets the government step in only in a true emergency. Judge Cornelia Pillard said states or power companies should fix such problems first. She called the emergency rule a narrow, last-resort tool.
🎯 Why It Matters
The case tests how far a president can go to keep old coal plants alive. It affects air quality, power bills and the move to cleaner energy.
A US appeals court has ruled against keeping a coal plant in Michigan open. The plant is 64 years old and was due to close. The court said the Energy Department went beyond its powers.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright had used emergency powers to keep the J.H. Campbell plant running. He said the region needed it for steady electricity. The three judges disagreed, and their decision was unanimous.
President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency in January last year. He pointed to rising power demand from artificial intelligence and data centres.
The law lets the government step in only in a true emergency. Judge Cornelia Pillard said states or power companies should fix such problems first. She called the emergency rule a narrow, last-resort tool.
The case tests how far a president can go to keep old coal plants alive. It affects air quality, power bills and the move to cleaner energy.