U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has issued emergency orders to keep two Indiana coal plants operating through December 18, 2026, to ensure continued access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity in the Midwest, local media reported.

The orders, effect from September 20, direct Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), CenterPoint Energy and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) to ensure specified units at the R.M. Schahfer and F.B. Culley power plants remain available. Certain generation units at these coal plants were scheduled to shut down at the end of 2025.

The Department of Energy has repeatedly extended the orders in 90-day increments since the initial directive on December 23, 2025, citing elevated reliability risks in the MISO region during extreme weather. The agency said the plants have proven critical to grid operations during periods of high demand and low intermittent generation, including during Winter Storm Fern.

Wright said forcing reliable, dispatchable coal generation off the grid would compromise reliability and raise costs. "Midwestern families should not be forced to pay the price for the misguided energy subtraction policies of the past," he said.

The orders have financial implications for ratepayers. NIPSCO spent $116.7 million from January-March this year to comply the orders, earning $33.5 million in electricity sales revenue, and has sought federal approval to recover $38 million in quarterly costs from customers across MISO's 15-state footprint. The utility has said it is preparing to keep the units operational through late 2028 or early 2029 if required.

The DOE has issued similar emergency orders for coal plants in Colorado, Washington and other states. The agency said more than 17 GW of coal generation was saved from going offline in 2025.