The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Mar. 23 that emergency orders have been issued to keep two Indiana coal plants operational, aiming to ensure affordable and reliable electricity for the Midwest region. The directive affects the R.M. Schahfer and F.B. Culley generating stations, whose certain units were scheduled for shutdown at the end of 2025.
The decision is intended to minimize electricity costs and reduce the risk of blackouts for residents in the region, according to federal officials. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, "The last administration’s energy subtraction policies had the United States on track to likely experience significantly more blackouts in the coming years—thankfully, President Trump won’t let that happen." Wright added, "The Trump Administration will continue taking action to keep America’s coal plants running to ensure we don’t lose critical generation sources. Americans deserve access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy to power their homes all the time, regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining."
Recent winter weather events demonstrated that these two coal plants played a key role in maintaining grid stability by operating at high capacity during periods of peak demand and low intermittent energy production. Since original Department of Energy orders were issued on December 23, 2025, both facilities have remained important contributors during times when other sources could not meet demand.
A Department of Energy Resource Adequacy Report warns that if reliable power sources are taken offline without adequate replacements, outages could increase by up to 100 times by 2030. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) service area continues facing emergency conditions now and into the future; a North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) assessment also highlighted increased risks due to a shift toward weather-dependent resources with less fuel diversity during winter months.
Meanwhile, other initiatives related to clean energy are ongoing within DOE programs under previous administrations: On July 21, 2022,the department announced $225 million for implementing resilient building codes, funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; Secretary Jennifer Granholm encouraged international cooperation on clean energy transition at an event later that year; DOE officials also testified before Congress about technology development supporting environmental cleanup missions; an innovative process using crushed marble was applied at a former coal-fired plant site in South Carolina; $96 million was allocated toward advancing clean vehicle technologies; and 146 programs were launched supporting President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, focusing investments in disadvantaged communities.
The current emergency order will remain effective from March 24 through June 21 as authorities continue monitoring regional grid reliability needs.
