U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on June 12 issued an emergency order that directs TransAlta Centralia Generation to ensure that Unit 2 of the Centralia Generating Station in Centralia, Washington, a coal-fired power plant, remains available to operate.
Centralia Unit 2 (729.9 MW) was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2025.
The order minimizes the risk and cost of unnecessary blackouts, DOE said. The availability of Centralia to operate will continue to be an asset to maintain reliability in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council Northwest region, it said.
The order is in effect beginning on June 15, 2026, through September 12, 2026.
