U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order to keep Unit 1 at the Craig Station coal plant in Colorado operational through the winter months. The plant, which was set to close at the end of 2025, will now remain open until March 30, 2026, following concerns about grid reliability and the risk of blackouts.
The directive instructs Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Platte River Power Authority, Salt River Project, PacifiCorp, and Xcel Energy—working with the Western Area Power Administration’s Rocky Mountain Region and Southwest Power Pool West—to ensure that Unit 1 is available for operation. Officials state that power from this unit is vital for maintaining grid stability in the region.
“On Day One, President Trump declared an energy emergency and directed the government to reverse the dangerous energy subtraction policies of the previous administration,” said Energy Secretary Wright. “Keeping this coal plant online will ensure Americans maintain an affordable, reliable, and secure supply of electricity. The Trump Administration is committed to lowering energy costs and keeping American families safe.”
The Department of Energy cited its Resource Adequacy Report as evidence that removing reliable power sources could increase outages by a factor of 100 by 2030 if current trends continue.
The emergency order takes effect December 30, 2025.
