December 30, 2025 - Continuing the trend to disallow retirement of aging coal-fired power, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has ordered three Indiana generating units to continue running beyond their planned retirement dates, previously set for this month. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) units represent a total of 952 megawatts (MW) in generation capacity and per DOE orders must continue to be available to run through March 23, 2026. IIR Energy's Breaking Energy News (BEN) reported on this development.

The DOE orders indicate that portions of MISO face an emergency situation, due to tightening supply conditions. The DOE can extend the orders as they expire, in 90-day increments, indicating it is preferable to avoid retirement rather than to attempt to resume operations once a coal unit has been retired.

The DOE in recent similar orders for other power plants has extended its 90-day must-run orders. Therefore, there is a high likelihood that DOE will do the same with these plants. Added operating costs for the must-run orders will be spread across electric grids, per a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ruling.

Three Coal Plant Units Totaling 952 MW

• CenterPoint Energy's (Houston, Texas) 104-MW FB Culley Unit 2 (Warrick County, Indiana)
• Northern Indiana Public Service Company's (NIPSCO) (Merrillville, Indiana) 424-MW RM Schahfer 18 (Wheatfield, Indiana)
• NIPSCO's 424-MW RM Schahfer 17 (Wheatfield, Indiana)

MISO reviewed and approved NIPSCO's plan to retire the coal-fired units at its RM Schahfer power plant and CenterPoint's proposal to shutter its F.B. Culley Unit 2, all of which were scheduled to occur in December.

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