Groups escalate fight against Trump administration's order for west Michigan coal plant

Carol Thompson, The Detroit News on Jul 24, 2025

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Environmental groups have escalated their fight against the U.S. Department of Energy's order requiring Consumers Energy to extend the life of the coal-fired J.H. Campbell power plant in west Michigan.

Nine environmental groups led by Sierra Club and the nonprofit law firm Earthjustice filed a petition for review Thursday at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

They argue the DOE was wrong to issue an emergency order directing Campbell to operate through Aug. 21 even though the plant was scheduled to be closed according to a plan negotiated by Consumers, the Michigan Public Service Commission, the Michigan Attorney General's office and other groups.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the order was intended to protect the Midwest from a tight summer power supply, although the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which operates the Midwest grid, said it has enough resources to meet demand outside of extreme circumstances.

"MISO is not in an energy emergency at this time," spokesperson Brandon Morris previously told The Detroit News.

The DOE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Consumers will comply with the DOE order as long as it is in effect, spokesperson Brian Wheeler said in a statement.

"We are pursuing recovery of the costs of running the Campbell plant in a proceeding currently before FERC. Timely cost recovery is essential," he said.

The nonprofit groups who filed the court petition had requested a rehearing with the DOE in June but were ignored, they said in a press release Thursday.

They said the DOE used a false energy emergency to justify the use of emergency powers to keep the Campbell plant open.

"People in Michigan and across the Midwest should not be stuck paying the cost of a nonexistent 'emergency' with their health and their electric bills," said Derrell Slaughter, Michigan policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The Campbell coal plant is out of date, costs more to operate than other electricity generation options and is one of the worst polluters in the state."

President Donald Trump and Wright are ensuring Americans have access to coal as well as other forms of reliable energy, DOE chief spokesperson Ben Dietderich previously told The News.

"For years, American grid operators have warned decommissioning baseload power sources such as coal plants would jeopardize the reliability of our grid systems, including in MISO," he said.

The Campbell plant opened in 1962. Consumers said it can generate enough electricity to serve 1 million people.

It was slated for closure at the end of May.

Campbell is an "old jalopy of a power plant" and should be retired, said Shannon Fisk, Earthjustice attorney and director of state electric sector advocacy.

"While the administration might not like that fact, a fabricated energy emergency does not give them the authority to saddle Michiganders with the costs and pollution of a coal plant that the utility has already replaced with other resources," Fisk said. "The only energy emergency is the one being created by this unprecedented power grab by federal authorities."

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