Trump Admin. Illegally Extends Life of Centralia Generating Station Coal Plant, Driving Up Electricity Bills

Centralia, Washington — Yesterday, the Trump administration issued an ‘emergency’ order to forcibly and illegally extend operations of Centralia Generating Station past its scheduled retirement. The high cost to keep this aging coal plant online is expected to be passed onto residents in the region.

In May, the Trump administration forced the J.H. Campbell plant in Michigan and the Eddystone power plant in Pennsylvania to stay online past their planned operations; both facilities have continued to receive successive 202C orders and the cost of their operations continues to pile onto ratepayers. The cost for those facilities alone has cost ratepayers, conservatively, an estimated $128 million since the first orders were issued in May, as reported by Sierra Club’s Ticked Off cost tracker.

Centralia will be no different. Conservative August 2025 analysis from Grid Strategies estimates the cost of keeping the Centralia generation station online will cost $65 million per year.

The Sierra Club is actively challenging the existing two emergency orders, including filing at the D.C. Court of Appeals over the DOE’s failure to respond to a rehearing request regarding J.H. Campbell.

Sierra Club Washington State Director Ben Avery issued the following statement: 

“Let us be clear: there is no ‘energy emergency’ in the Pacific Northwest that would justify forcing the continued operation of an old and dirty coal plant that endangers public health, worsens climate pollution, and has long been slated for retirement. All the evidence shows that when Centralia shuts down, customers’ costs will decrease and air quality will improve. Instead of lowering bills or protecting families from harmful pollution, the Trump administration is abusing emergency powers to prop up fossil fuels at any cost.”

Sierra Club Beyond Coal Director Laurie Williams issued the following statement:

“In the midst of an affordability crisis, Donald Trump is forcing Americans to pay millions more dollars on utility bills—all to bolster the dying coal industry. Americans should be able to spend their hard-earned dollars on rent, groceries, school supplies, and other essentials, not to keep a dirty, expensive, unnecessary coal plant online.

“These sham emergency orders have no basis, and their only purpose is to boost profits for Donald Trump’s buddies in the coal industry. Trump and his administration have once again betrayed our communities.”

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.