Sierra Club Calls Out Trump’s Expensive, Illegal Coal Plant Orders at U.S. Senate

Washington, D.C. - Today, Sierra Club Senior Attorney Greg Wannier testified before a joint hearing of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Donald Trump’s illegal attempt to force retiring coal plants to stay online. 

Watch the livestream here and read Greg Wannier’s testimony here. 

It’s been almost 10 months since May 2025, when Donald Trump’s Department of Energy issued its first “emergency order,” forcing the J.H. Campbell coal plant in Michigan to continue running past its scheduled retirement date. Since then, the administration has ordered four other coal plants (and a gas-facility) across the country to do the same. The administration falsely claims these forced extensions are necessary to maintain grid reliability; in reality, there are no reliability emergencies. 

The Senate hearing also highlighted Sierra Club’s ‘Burning Money’ tracker, which tallies how much these illegal extensions have cost customers. To date, the six illegal orders have cost consumers $234,893,767 to stay online. 

Sierra Club Senior Attorney Greg Wannier said during the hearing:

“The Trump administration has twisted the use of DOE’s Section 202c emergency authority beyond all recognition. Secretary Wright has issued twelve 90-day orders to six old, expensive power plants on the eve of each of their planned retirement, forcing them to remain operational. Not one of these orders was requested by the relevant plant owner, grid operator, or state or regional regulator whose responsibility it is to keep the lights on. To date, the six illegal orders have cost consumers over $234 million, further burdening families at a time when living costs are at an all time high.”