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. The directive, announced on December 31, 2025, comes as a response to concerns about grid reliability and the risk of blackouts.
The order instructs Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Platte River Power Authority, Salt River Project, PacifiCorp, and Xcel Energy to coordinate with the Western Area Power Administration—Rocky Mountain Region and Southwest Power Pool West. These entities are required to ensure that Unit 1 at Craig Station remains available for operation. Originally scheduled for shutdown at the end of 2025, the unit will now continue running until March 30, 2026.
According to Secretary Wright, “On Day One, President Trump declared an energy emergency and directed the government to reverse the dangerous energy subtraction policies of the previous administration. 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 findings from its Resource Adequacy Report that project power outages could increase by a factor of 100 by 2030 if reliable sources like coal plants are taken offline.
The emergency measure aims both to stabilize electricity costs for consumers and reduce risks associated with power shortages during high-demand winter months.
