Keep Burning Coal, Trump Admin Tells Indiana
by Tom Davies, Indiana Capital Chronicle
December 24, 2025
Federal officials have ordered a temporary halt to the planned shutdowns of two coal-burning Indiana power plants amid President Donald Trump’s attempts to boost the coal mining industry.
The U.S. Department of Energy orders issued Tuesday require Northern Indiana Public Service Co. and CenterPoint Energy to keep those generating plants operating despite their intentions of closing them this month.
The 90-day orders say the two coal-burning units set for closure at NIPSCO’s Schahfer Generating Station near Wheatfield and one at CenterPoint’s Culley Generating Station along the Ohio River near Newburgh must remain “available to operate” until at least March 23.
The orders come as Trump has pushed policies to promote the coal industry while deriding the shift toward solar and wind energy as sources of electricity.
The Energy Department said the Indiana plants orders were needed because the “reliable supply of power from these coal plants is essential for keeping the region’s electric grid stable.” Both orders cited the growing power demands of data centers among the reasons for keeping the plants in operation.