Federal Court Rejects Trump Order to Keep Michigan Coal Plant Open

A federal court has ruled that the US Energy Department exceeded its authority in forcing a Michigan coal-fired power plant to stay open past its scheduled retirement date. The court found that there was no real emergency under the law, and the order was a 'narrow, last-resort backstop. ' The decision reverses the plant's planned retirement and is expected to disrupt operations. The ruling is part of a larger legal dispute over the Trump administration's use of emergency powers to keep coal-fired plants open, which critics say raises ratepayer bills and adds air and water pollution. The Michigan plant's extended operation cost at least $135 million in 2025 alone.