Overview
- The Department of Energy invoked Section 202(c) to require Craig Station Unit 1 to remain available until at least March 30, 2026, citing risks of outages and threats to public health and safety.
- The order directs the unit to be on standby rather than generate electricity, Ars Technica reports, which could raise conflicts with Colorado emissions limits if it operates.
- Governor Jared Polis condemned the directive as unnecessary and costly, asserting the unit is currently inoperable and would need millions in repairs, while Earthjustice signaled legal challenges.
- Tri-State Generation and Transmission, which operates and co-owns the unit serving rural customers in four states, said it had expected the federal action even as the unit was scheduled to retire at year’s end.
- An analysis prepared for the Sierra Club estimated about $85 million to run the unit for a year, and the move follows other 2025 DOE emergency orders keeping coal plants online.