A federal court has ruled that the Department of Energy acted outside its legal authority when it forced a Michigan coal plant to keep running, according to Canary Media, Grist, Ars Technica, and Electrek. The court rejected the administration's argument that an 'energy emergency' required the plant to remain open, with Ars Technica describing the ruling as throwing out the forced extension because no emergency existed.
Electrek reports that the plant operated for 468 days after its planned retirement, wasting millions of ratepayer dollars. Grist calls the decision one of the first successful legal challenges to the administration's broader 'energy emergency' agenda. Canary Media adds that the ruling could undermine the push to prevent aging fossil-fueled plants from closing.
The reports largely agree on the facts and outcome. Canary Media also notes that the administration's orders forcing coal plants to stay open began in May 2025, and that this ruling is a significant legal check on that effort.