U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order requiring TransAlta to keep Unit 2 of the Centralia Generating Station in Centralia, Washington, operational through the winter months. The coal plant unit had been scheduled for shutdown at the end of 2025. This decision aims to address concerns about grid reliability and reduce the risk of blackouts in the Northwestern United States.
“The last administration’s energy subtraction policies had the United States on track to experience significantly more blackouts in the coming years — thankfully, President Trump won’t let that happen,” said Energy Secretary Wright. “The Trump administration will continue taking action to keep America’s coal plants running so we can stop the price spikes and ensure we don’t lose critical generation sources. Americans deserve access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy to heat their homes all the time, regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.”
A recent Resource Adequacy Report from the Department of Energy indicated that blackouts could have increased by up to 100 times by 2030 if power plant retirements continued at rates seen during previous years.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) found in its 2025-2026 Winter Reliability Assessment that areas like the WECC Northwest region face higher risks during severe weather events such as prolonged cold snaps.
The emergency order takes effect December 16, 2025, and will remain in place until March 16, 2026.
NERC’s assessment also warned that widespread extreme winter conditions could result in electricity supply shortages. Electricity demand continues to rise nationally; peak demand increased by approximately 2.5% compared with last winter.
