EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
The Trump administration is using emergency powers and subsidies to keep U.S. coal plants running.
Dozens of coal plants — emitting as much planet-warming pollution as 27 million cars — were expected to be retired during Trump’s second term. Now there may not be any more coal plants closing until after Trump leaves office, according to officials and the energy analysis company Enverus. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has acknowledged the goal is to avoid any shutdowns.
Before Donald Trump returned to the White House, the Biden administration and many electric utilities were building a future dominated by renewable energy. They aimed to replace coal, slashing greenhouse gases and reducing air pollution that kills more than a thousand people annually.
The administration says coal helps electric reliability during extreme demand. Critics say keeping plants open will cost ratepayers and taxpayers and lock in more pollution. The emergency orders are being challenged by states, utilities, and consumer groups. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also rolled back clean energy incentives, environmental regulations and slowed new wind and solar permits.
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READ AP'S STORY
Coal's fortunes shift as Trump uses orders and taxpayer money to keep plants operating
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FIND COAL SITES NEAR YOU
This interactive map put together by AP shows the status of coal-fired generating plants previously slated to be retired by 2028. The map shows plants ordered by the administration to stay operational, plants receiving federal funds for upgrades, retired plants and those with planned retirements under Trump — though market analysts believe no coal plant closures are likely during President Donald Trump’s term, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has acknowledged the goal is to avoid any shutdowns.
An embed code for the map can be found at the end of the guide.
Plants previously expected to retire and plants receiving federal funds are listed below by state, county and coal plant name.
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PLANTS PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED TO RETIRE 2025-2028
(state, county, coal plant name)
AZ Apache Springerville
CO Moffat Craig
CO Pueblo Comanche
CO Routt Hayden
DE Sussex Indian River Generating Station
FL Orange Stanton Energy Center
IL Christian Kincaid Generation LLC
IL Randolph Baldwin Energy Complex
IN Jasper R M Schahfer
IN LaPorte Michigan City
IN Spencer Rockport
IN Warrick F B Culley
KY Jefferson Mill Creek
MD Anne Arundel Brandon Shores
MI Monroe Monroe
MI Ottawa J H Campbell
MI St Clair Belle River
MN Washington Allen S King
MN Sherburne Sherburne County
MO St Charles Sioux
MS Jackson Victor J Daniel Jr
OH Jefferson Cardinal
OH Hamilton Miami Fort
OK Mayes GREC
TN Stewart Cumberland
TN Roane Kingston
TX Bexar J K Spruce
TX Lamb Tolk
TX Titus Welsh
UT Millard Intermountain Power Project
WA Lewis Transalta Centralia Generation
WI Milwaukee South Oak Creek
WY Converse Dave Johnston
WY Lincoln Naughton
— — —
PLANTS RECEIVING FEDERAL MONEY
KY Carroll Ghent
KY Carroll Ghent
KY Carroll Ghent
KY Carroll Ghent
NC Stokes Belews Creek
OH Jefferson Cardinal
OH Jefferson Cardinal
OH Jefferson Cardinal
OH Gallia Kyger Creek
OH Gallia Kyger Creek
OH Gallia Kyger Creek
OH Gallia Kyger Creek
OH Gallia Kyger Creek
WV Putnam John E Amos
WV Putnam John E Amos
WV Putnam John E Amos
WV Monongalia FirstEnergy Fort Martin Power Station
WV Monongalia FirstEnergy Fort Martin Power Station
WV Mason Mountaineer
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STATES CHALLENGING THE EMERGENCY ORDERS
There have been legal challenges from five Democratic-led led states — Washington, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and Colorado.
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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS
— Ask the utility or utilities that own the plant if it will have to increase costs in order to remain operational.
— Find out how many jobs the plant provides and talk to local officials about its importance in the community.
— Check with utility regulators to find out how often (and at what capacity) the plant runs.
— Check with local health officials/state physician groups/people who live nearby to see if they have any concerns about plants staying operational.
— Ask renewable energy advocates and/or environmental groups in your area about renewable energy proposals that hinged on a coal plant retirement.
— Check with the regional transmission organization to see if there has been any request/plan to absorb any cost increases more widely.
— Look at the government's coal pollution mortality study to see how many deaths annually are attributed to individual plants.
— If your local plant is getting federal money, check out the details of how that money is to be spent. Ask the plant owner how they will cover their share of the costs and how long any upgrades will extend the life of the plant.
— Call the state Attorney General's Office to see if they'll talk about their challenge to the emergency orders.
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EMBED THIS MAP
This AP digital embed map shows coal-fired power plants in the U.S., many of which have been scheduled to be retired in the next several years. The Trump administration is using emergency powers and subsidies to keep U.S. coal plants running. Market analysts believe no coal plant closures are likely during President Donald Trump’s term, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has acknowledged the goal is to avoid any shutdowns. This map is current as of April 8, 2026, and will not update. Sources: Energy Information Administration; EPA.
To embed, insert this code into your CMS:
!-- start AP embed --
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!-- end AP embed --
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