Washington — The U.S. Department of Energy has issued an emergency order directing TransAlta to keep a coal-fired unit at the Centralia Generating Station in Washington available to operate through mid-June 2026.
The order, issued by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, applies to Unit 2 of the Centralia plant, which had been scheduled to shut down at the end of 2025. Federal officials said the action is intended to support electricity reliability across the Northwestern United States during a period of potential grid strain.
According to the Department of Energy, the order took effect March 17, 2026, and will remain in place through June 14, 2026. The agency cited concerns about maintaining sufficient dispatchable power capacity to reduce the risk of outages and price volatility.
The Centralia facility has been a significant source of baseload power in the region. Supporters of the order argue that keeping the unit available will help stabilize the grid, particularly during periods when renewable generation may be limited.
In a statement, Wright criticized prior federal energy policies and said the current administration is prioritizing reliability and affordability by maintaining existing power sources, including coal.
The move comes amid broader national debates over energy policy, as utilities and regulators weigh the pace of retiring fossil fuel generation against the need to ensure consistent electricity supply. Critics of similar actions in the past have raised concerns about environmental impacts and long term transition goals, while supporters emphasize reliability and cost considerations.
The Department of Energy referenced internal analyses indicating rising risks to grid reliability in coming years if firm generation capacity declines, though those projections remain a subject of ongoing policy and technical debate.
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