Michigan coal plant costs balloon to $259 million, as Trump administration orders sixth unlawful extension past retirement

• The Trump administration issued a sixth unlawful “emergency order” extending the J.H. Campbell coal plant past its retirement for another 90 days, even though local and state leaders had a plan to replace the plant with cleaner, cheaper energy.  
• According to new financial filings, the coal plant has cost over $259 million to operate beyond its May 2025 retirement. Those losses will very likely be paid by families and businesses in the Midwest. 
• Three states and environmental groups, including EDF, have challenged these emergency orders. A ruling from a federal appeals court is expected soon. 

(WASHINGTON – August 17, 2026) The Trump administration issued a sixth unlawful “emergency order” extending the J.H. Campbell coal plant past its retirement for another 90 days. As of today, the plant has remained online for 443 days past its planned retirement at the end of May 2025, even though the utility, local and state leaders already had a plan to reliably replace the plant with cleaner, cheaper energy resources.  

The latest financial filings from the plant’s owner, Consumers Energy, reveal that families and businesses will be on the hook for $259 million in additional costs (and counting) as a result of the Trump administration’s mandates to continue operating the coal plant. Consumers Energy is seeking to recover these ballooning costs – which cover the plant’s operations as of June 30, 2026 – from ratepayers in 11 states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. 

“Forcing this coal plant to stay online long past its retirement has proven one thing: It’s incredibly expensive for ratepayers to keep propping up coal,” said Ted Kelly, Director and Lead Counsel, U.S. Clean Energy at Environmental Defense Fund. 

“State and local leaders had a plan to replace this aging, polluting plant with cleaner, more affordable and reliable energy. If the Trump administration did not unlawfully intervene to keep the plant open, retiring it as planned would have lowered bills for families while cutting harmful air and water pollution in surrounding communities.” 

Attorneys General from three states – Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois – alongside EDF and eight other public interest groups have challenged the Campbell plant extensions. Oral arguments took place before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in May 2026, and a ruling could occur soon. 

So far, the Trump administration has issued unlawful emergency orders to force open six aging coal plants and one oil-and-gas plant. The cost to keep those plants on life support total over $440 million. Despite the Trump administration repeatedly claiming that coal is critical for grid reliability, many of these plants have broken down or have not produced electricity at all.