US Energy Chief Vows to Issue More Emergency Orders to Keep Coal, Gas-Fired Plants Open

Energy Secretary Chris Wright vows that the Department of Energy (DOE) will continue to use its authority under the century-old Federal Power Act to stall the planned retirements of up to 54 fossil-fueled power plants by 2028 to ensure the nation’s electric grid can cost-efficiently handle rapidly expanding demand from data centers and use of artificial intelligence. “We’re stopping the closure of all these plants way before their retirement date,” he told President Donald Trump and fellow cabinet members during an Aug. 26 White House meeting. Wright gave updates on the progress made since Trump declared an energy emergency on his first day in office and his April executive order directing the DOE to use its emergency jurisdiction under Section 202(c) of the 1920 Federal Power Act to delay planned electric plant closures until the president deems the energy emergency resolved....