Christine Ho, christine.ho@sierraclub.org
Eddystone, PA - The Trump administration issued an order to force the Eddystone power plant to stay online past its scheduled retirement date. This is the second power plant the administration has ordered to operate past its planned retirement under the excuse of a so-called “energy emergency”.
The Regional Transmission Organization PJM approved Eddystone’s Unit 3 and 4 retirement in February of 2024, confirming that its retirement will not affect reliability in PJM’s service region. Contradicting its own assessment, PJM voiced its support for this emergency order. Right now, there are over 2,000 renewable energy projects in PJM’s interconnection queue, awaiting the RTO’s approval.
In response, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter Director Tom Schuster issued the following response:
“There is no greater hypocrisy than the Trump administration citing a made up energy emergency as an excuse to illegally prop up expensive and dirty fossil fuel plants while doing everything in their power to hinder renewable energy development. The biggest energy emergency we are facing right now is unaffordable electricity bills, a problem that the Administration and PJM are making worse.
“These old, expensive power plants were scheduled to retire because they are uneconomic and dangerous to operate. The costs that will now be required to keep Eddystone open will be unfairly passed on to everyday customers when they can least afford it. The Sierra Club will fight back against this administration’s reckless and illegal attempts to help their fossil fuel buddies profit off the backs of hardworking Americans.”
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 www.sierraclub.org.