Trump emergency order delays Florida coal plant retirement, and customers may pay more

A Trump administration emergency directive has interrupted Florida's move away from coal by requiring that one plant remain available beyond its planned 2025 retirement, a step that could slow the local clean energy transition and leave customers facing higher bills during the hottest part of the year.

Inside Climate News reported that the Orlando Utilities Commission had slated Stanton Energy Center Unit 1 for closure as it expanded solar power under a broader plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Instead, the plant will remain available through the summer, extending the life of one of the grid's dirtiest power sources at a time when utilities in many parts of the country are trying to move away from coal.

What happened?

The federal order, issued by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, requires OUC to keep the coal unit available rather than placing it under an extended cold shutdown. OUC, Florida's second-largest municipal utility, serves more than 288,000 customers in Orange and Osceola counties. The order took effect June 4 and runs through September 1.

Wright said the move was needed because electricity demand is rising — including anticipated growth from data centers — and because a February cold snap strained resources ahead of forecasts for an especially hot summer.

In the order, Wright warned that shortages "could lead to the loss of power to homes and local businesses in the areas affected by curtailments or power outages, presenting a risk to public health and safety."

Comparable emergency orders have also delayed planned coal plant retirements in Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, and Washington, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

Why does it matter?

Coal plants are among the most polluting power sources on the grid, and keeping them running longer can have consequences for both public health and household budgets.

Ted Kelly of the Environmental Defense Fund said coal is a more expensive and less reliable source of electricity, so customers may end up paying more for dirtier power, according to ICN.

Beyond that, the fossil fuel industry generates significant pollution, which plays a major role in worsening extreme weather disasters that destroy homes, livelihoods, and local economies.

Kelly said analyses from NERC, together with OUC filings, show the coal plants are not necessary to meet demand. In Michigan, EDF estimated that a similar order has added more than $180 million in costs for families and businesses since May 2025.

What's being done?

Stanton Unit 1's planned retirement was part of OUC's broader shift toward renewable energy, especially solar, and the utility is still expected to decide later this year what to do about its other coal plant, ICN reported.

Still, OUC said it "will fully comply with the order while continuing to prioritize the safe and reliable delivery of electricity to our customers and community." Kelly, meanwhile, called the federal move "a harmful disruption" after utilities created "a really thoughtful decarbonization plan."

Clean energy advocates want utilities and regulators to keep moving toward a coal phaseout that prioritizes workers, communities, affordability, and grid reliability.

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