The Trump administration has issued a third emergency order forcing TransAlta's coal-fired power plant in Centralia, Washington, to remain operational, despite the plant having produced zero electricity since December 2025. The federal orders cite a shortage of electric energy in the Western grid, but the plant's owner has requested $20 million from ratepayers to cover standby costs, and the Washington Attorney General is suing to block the orders. The Centralia plant was Washington's largest source of carbon dioxide and other pollutants before it shut down. Critics argue the emergency authority is being misused for political reasons rather than actual grid emergencies, and that keeping aging coal plants open delays the transition to cleaner energy sources.
