The day before the Craig Station coal plant in Moffat County was set to close, the Trump Administration issued an order to keep the operations going. The announcement states, “On December 30, 2025, Department of Energy issued emergency order 202-25-14…to Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Platte River Power Authority, Salt River Project, PacifiCorp, and Xcel Energy. The order directs Tri-State and the co-owners, in coordination with the Western Area Power Administration – Rocky Mountain Region and Southwest Power Pool West, to take all measures necessary to ensure that Unit 1 at the Craig Station in Craig, Colorado is available to operate. This order is in effect beginning on December 30, 2025 and continues until March 30, 2026.” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright states in the Order “that an emergency exists within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council Northwest assessment area due to a shortage of electric energy, a shortage of facilities for the generation of electric energy, and other causes, and that issuance of this Order will meet the emergency and serve the public interest.” The Order also states, “As a coal-fired facility, it would be difficult for the Craig Unit 1 to resume operations once it has been retired. Specifically, any stop and start of operation creates heating and cooling cycles that could cause an immediate failure that could take 30-60 days to repair if a unit comes offline. In addition, other practical issues, such as employment, contracts, and permits may greatly increase the timeline for resumption of operations.” Visit www.energy.gov for more information.
