November 5, 2025 - A fight over the future of coal is brewing in Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s home state.

Colorado's two largest coal plants are slated to partially close before the end of the year. Supporters of the plants are asking Wright to intervene and issue an emergency directive that would keep the facilities running past their retirement dates.

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which runs one of those plants, says it expects an order imminently.

Conversations with the Department of Energy have led Tri-State to believe it is “very likely” to receive an emergency order to keep open a 446-megawatt generating unit at the 1,427-MW Craig Station in northwest Colorado, said Amy Robertson, a spokesperson for the power cooperative.

But, she added, “Tri-State continues to plan to close unit one by the end of the year. Not only do we have legal requirements to close that unit, but we're also closing it for economic reasons.”