U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on Dec. 16 issued an emergency order that directs TransAlta to keep Unit 2 of the Centralia Generating Station in Centralia, Washington available to operate. Unit 2 of the coal plant was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2025.
“The reliable supply of power from the Centralia coal plant is essential for grid stability in the Northwest. The order prioritizes minimizing the risk and costs of blackouts,” DOE said.
TransAlta Centralia Generation is an electric generating facility in Centralia, Washington. Centralia consists of one remaining coal-fired generation unit, Unit 2, with a nameplate capacity of 729.9 MW. Unit 2 began operations in 1973 and is slated to cease operations in December 2025. Unit 1 was retired in 2020.
Unit 2 is slated to cease operation based on a 2011 Washington law and a subsequent agreement between TransAlta and the State of Washington. TransAlta has announced plans to convert the unit to natural gas by 2028.
DOE said that the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) determined in its 2025-2026 Winter Reliability Assessment that the WECC Northwest region is at elevated risk during periods of extreme weather, such as prolonged, far-reaching cold snaps.
This order is in effect beginning on December 16, 2025, and continuing until March 16, 2026.
