US Department of Energy Blocks Coal Plant Closures

The United States Department of Energy has issued at least 74 emergency orders to prevent the planned shutdown of aging coal plants as the country faces a cost-of-living crisis. Residential electricity prices rose nearly 40% between 2010 and 2023, while total electricity demand hit a record 4.10 trillion kWh in 2024. This surge is attributed to the expansion of data centers, manufacturing, building electrification, and electric vehicle adoption.

One specific emergency order halted the closure of the Craig Unit 1 coal plant in Colorado. The Government of Colorado and utility owners petitioned for this action to avoid an estimated $85 million annual cost that would likely have been passed on to ratepayers.

Parallel efforts to increase capacity include the Vogtle plant in Georgia, which became the largest commercial nuclear generating fleet in the world in April 2024. Despite this milestone, the facility's construction was marked by significant financial challenges, with cost overruns exceeding $30 billion.