D.C. Circuit Limits DOE’s Emergency Authority to Keep Power Plants Running
On September 11, 2026, the D.C. Circuit vacated a Department of Energy (DOE) order requiring Consumers Energy to continue operating the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in Michigan under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act. People of the State of Michigan v. U.S. Department of Energy, No. 25-1159 (D.C. Cir. Sept. 11, 2026). The decision limits DOE’s ability to use its emergency authority to override state and regional decisions concerning generation retirements.
Governors of PJM States Intensify Pressure on PJM for Reform
A bipartisan group of governors of PJM Interconnection (PJM) member states has intensified calls for reforming PJM after what they have described as a “crisis of confidence,” citing high electricity prices, interconnection delays, and lack of transparency and state participation in the RTO’s decision-making processes.
