Energy Department orders Colorado's Craig coal unit kept available through Dec 25
- Emergency order issued under Federal Power Act section 202(c)
- Order runs from Sept 27 through Dec 25
- SPP directed to take every step to limit dispatch
WASHINGTON, Sept 25 — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an emergency order directing Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and five other entities to ensure that Unit 1 at the Craig Station in Craig, Colorado is available to operate.1
The order, DOE Order No. 202-26-49, was issued under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.1 It is in effect from Sept 27, 2026, through Dec 25, 2026, according to the order.1,2
The order is directed to Tri-State, Southwest Power Pool (SPP), Platte River Power Authority, Salt River Project, PacifiCorp and Public Service Company of Colorado.1,2 It instructs them to "take all measures necessary" to keep the unit available.1,2
Under the order, SPP must take every step to use economic dispatch of Craig Unit 1 "only during hours necessary to meet the emergency and to minimize costs to ratepayers."1 The DOE's press release said the dispatch is meant to reduce the risk of blackouts and "minimize costs to taxpayers."2
"The Trump Administration will continue taking action to ensure we don’t lose critical generation sources," Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in the release.2
According to the release, Craig Unit 1 is needed to address elevated reliability risks in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) Rocky Mountain region during atypical weather.2
The release said Unit 1 was originally scheduled to shut down at the end of 2025.2 Wright issued emergency orders in December 2025 and twice in 2026 directing Tri-State and the co-owners to keep the unit available to operate, the release said.2