Groups Take Trump Administration to Court Over Illegal Craig Coal Plant Extension - CleanTechnica

Public interest groups and the state of Colorado have filed legal challenges against the Trump administration’s emergency order extending the operation of Colorado’s Craig Unit 1 coal-fired power plant. The Department of Energy (DOE) issued a December 2025 order under Section 202(c) to prevent the plant’s planned retirement, forcing it to remain available for 90 days with possible renewal. The plant had already been out of service due to a valve failure and was scheduled to retire the day after the order. Critics argue that the extension is illegal, unnecessary, and harmful, as it raises electricity costs for consumers and worsens air quality in surrounding communities. Opponents, including environmental groups and the plant’s co-owners Tri-State and Platte River, contend that the DOE order was not requested by any state regulators or owners and amounts to an unlawful taking of private property. They warn that the order imposes significant repair, maintenance, and staffing costs that will ultimately be passed on to ratepayers. Advocates