Trump Administration Illegally Extends Operations of the Culley and Schahfer Coal Plants for Third Time

INDIANAPOLIS - Today, the Trump Administration and Department of Energy (DOE) announced yet another extension for the Culley and Schahfer coal-fired power plants since they were ordered to stay open at the end of 2025. This news comes just weeks after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission revealed that both of the Schahfer coal units ordered to stay open are broken.

NIPSCO, owner of the Schahfer plant, has to continue to update the plant to bring it back online, the high costs of which are passed onto Hoosiers and people across the MISO grid. CenterPoint, owner of the Culley coal plant, wrote a letter to the DOE asking them not to reissue an emergency order, stating that maintaining the coal plant "will require substantial investment to support an inefficient and increasingly unreliable asset."

Earlier this year, Sierra Club and partners filed a challenge in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to overturn Trump's illegal "emergency" orders issued by DOE.

In response, Robyn Skuya-Boss, Hoosier Chapter Director, released the following statement:

"It's unbelievable that even with the Schahfer units being broken, and Culley's owner calling out what a terrible decision this is, the Trump Administration still insists on doubling-down on coal to keep lining the pockets of billion dollar fossil fuel companies. Meanwhile, Hoosiers and Americans are strapped with higher utility bills, higher gas prices, and a higher cost of living altogether. Intervention is long overdue. Governor Braun and Attorney General Rokita can step in immediately on behalf of Hoosiers struggling to afford their utility bill and block these costs from continuing to fall on them."

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About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.