Indiana Coal Plants Broken, Despite “Emergency” Order to Stay Open
Operating the Schahfer coal units beyond 2025 would require spending more than one billion dollars
Contacts
Kathryn McGrath, kmcgrath@earthjustice.org
Earlier this month, a forum held by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission revealed that both coal generating units at the R.M. Schahfer power plant are now broken – which comes after Unit 18 has been broken for the entirety of a federal “emergency” order that is forcing them to stay online past their scheduled retirement dates.
The next 90-day DOE “emergency” order is expected to be issued on June 21, but both Schahfer coal units (17 and 18) would be unavailable to produce electricity for the entirety of that order period as well. NIPSCO had previously estimated that operating Schahfer beyond 2025 would require spending more than one billion dollars as the aging coal units have long been plagued with mechanical issues.
Citizens Action Coalition of IN, represented by Earthjustice, is challenging the illegal “emergency” order issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) forcing the plant to continue operating. Below are statements issued in response to the forum news:
“The captive ratepayers of NIPSCO are already suffering after experiencing massive increases in their monthly bills from 2024 to 2025. It is immoral and unjust that they are being used as political pawns and will be forced to absorb additional costs for facilities that are not delivering any benefit to the public. Ratepayers need relief, not further punishment,” said Kerwin Olson, Executive Director, Citizens Action Coalition of IN.
“The Schahfer coal plant is broken and antiquated. The DOE is using 202(c) emergency orders to force ratepayers to pay for plant rebuilds at this dilapidated coal plant even as Indiana regulators have already approved replacement power plants, which are now operating or under construction. The coal-fired units couldn’t produce electricity for an emergency even if one existed, which it doesn’t. The coal plant should obviously be retired to save Hoosiers money, but this administration would rather add billions to our electricity bills,” said Sameer Doshi, Earthjustice senior attorney.
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