In May 2025, just days before Consumers Energy was set to shut down the aging J.H. Campbell coal plant in Ottawa County, the Trump administration stepped in to block the closure—citing "grid reliability." Now, six months later, that decision is costing over $600,000 every single day, and $80 million in losses has already been racked up.

Who’s footing the bill? Everyday ratepayers—not just in Michigan, but across 10 other Midwestern states—are being saddled with higher utility costs to keep this polluting plant alive. Meanwhile, the residents of West Michigan continue to breathe air tainted by one of the state’s biggest industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

Trump’s emergency orders were made without evidence of a real power crisis. Michigan regulators themselves said there was no emergency, and clean energy sources were already in place to take over. Even federal data shows the Campbell plant barely delivered power during peak summer months due to its age, broken parts, and operational failures.

Let’s be clear: this isn't about grid reliability. It’s about using government power to prop up the dying coal industry, no matter the environmental or economic cost. Every extra day this plant operates harms public health, accelerates climate damage, and drains our wallets.

We call on U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to immediately reverse the emergency orders and allow the Campbell plant to shut down as originally planned.

Michiganders—and millions of others in the Midwest—shouldn’t be forced to subsidize dirty energy for political gain. Join us in demanding accountability and a return to clean, responsible energy choices.

Add your name if you agree: The Campbell coal plant must be shut down now.

Photo: Joel Bissell/Mlive.com