Wedoany.com News, Recently, environmental and consumer groups including the Sierra Club have jointly submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), demanding a rehearing and challenging its emergency order regarding the extended operation of two coal-fired power plants in Indiana. They argue that the order does not benefit grid reliability and will instead increase residents' electricity bills and environmental pollution.

The challenged emergency order involves the R.M. Schahfer power plant and one unit at the F.B. Culley power plant, facilities originally scheduled to close last year. Environmental groups contend that the DOE's justification for requiring continued operation to ensure power supply reliability is unfounded. They argue the order is essentially political interference, shifting costs to consumers and perpetuating pollution. Sierra Club Senior Attorney Tony Mendoza criticized the move as making the public pay for former President Trump's policies. This legal action marks a new phase in the ongoing struggle over the Trump administration's use of emergency orders to intervene in coal plant retirements. Previously, the DOE had issued similar orders for five coal-fired power plants nationwide slated for closure in 2025, citing them as necessary measures to address surging electricity demand.