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DOE Acts to Ensure Key Coal-fired Power Plants Are Available in MISO to Supply Peak Summer Demands

LCG, May 18, 2026--The U.S. Secretary of Energy today issued an emergency order to address critical grid reliability issues in the Midwest anticipated this summer. The order is in effect beginning on May 19, 2026, through August 16, 2026. The emergency order directs the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), in coordination with Consumers Energy, to ensure that the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant (Campbell Plant) in West Olive, Michigan shall take all steps necessary to remain available to operate and to minimize costs for the region.

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EPA Announces Proposed Rule Action to Revise ELG's and Support Reliable, Affordable Coal-fired Power Plants

LCG, May 14, 2026--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it is proposing a rule to revise wastewater limits, known as effluent limitations guidelines (ELG), for steam electric power plants that will help improve grid reliability and lower electricity prices while continuing to support clean and safe water resources. If finalized, the EPA's proposal is estimated to reduce electricity generation costs by as much as $1.1 billion annually, which could provide cost-savings to American consumers.

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Industry News

Cal-ISO Releases Names of Idle Power Plants

LCG, Jan. 29, 2001The California Independent System Operator began Saturday to release the names of power plants that are sitting on the sidelines while the ISO is scrambling for power to keep the state's electric transmission grid from breaking down.

Power plant owners had regarded the information as highly sensitive, believing the knowledge that a plant was shut down would confer a competitive advantage, and insisted on secrecy. There are also employers who think employees don't know what each other earns.

California Gov. Gray Davis signed legislation last week requiring the disclosure. The new law was backed by consumer activists who believe that independent power producers have been secretly keeping their plants off line in order to drive up wholesale electricity prices.

"At one time this was pretty secret stuff," said Duke Energy Corp. spokesman Tom Williams of the disclosure, adding it now "has a limited effect on the market because traders know what units are down."

On Saturday and Sunday, Cal-ISO issued at around noon lists of plants shut down for planned maintenance and for unplanned problems. As this is written, the most recent report is that for yesterday.

The biggest unit shut down in an unplanned outage was the 750 megawatt Moss Landing Unit 6, an old plant that Duke purchased from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and wants to replace with a modern facility.

There were 25 generating units idle in unplanned outages yesterday, and it would be hard to accuse power producers of collusion on the basis of the list. Among those facilities were two 45 megawatt units belonging to the City of Pasadena, a 53 megawatt unit at the San Luis Dam operated by the California Department of Water Resources and two units of 25 megawatts each in Alameda County operated by the Northern California Power Association, which furnishes electricity to municipal utilities.

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