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CenterPoint urged federal government not to reissue emergency order on Warrick County coal plant, letter shows
CenterPoint urged federal government not to reissue emergency order on Warrick County coal plant, letter shows
18 hrs ago
oximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/wevv.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/ff/0ff0ba00-96b1-4093-898d-3822142a9c80/699f8342b7921.image.jpg
INDIANAPOLIS (WEVV) — The U.S. Department of Energy issued a new order forcing CenterPoint Energy to keep a Warrick County coal-fired plant operational despite warnings from the utility that the unit is unreliable and financially irresponsible to maintain.
In a February 17, 2026, letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, CenterPoint Energy Indiana Region President Michael Roeder requested the federal government allow an existing emergency order to expire on March 23, 2026. Roeder stated that maintaining F.B. Culley Unit 2 would require "substantial investment to support an inefficient and increasingly unreliable asset". ... The DOE disregarded the request, issuing Order No. 202-26-20 on March 23, which directs CenterPoint and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator to ensure the unit remains available to operate through June 21, 2026.
CenterPoint’s correspondence highlighted several concerns regarding the unit’s continued operation:
• Reliability Issues: During a 48-day period starting in late 2025, Unit 2 was out of service for 26 days due to equipment failures and could only operate on a limited basis for another 17 days.
• High Costs: Safe operation past March 2026 would require an estimated $14 million to $18 million for a mandatory 10-week turbine overhaul and boiler repairs.
• Adequate Capacity: CenterPoint asserted it has sufficient generation capacity to meet reliability requirements without the unit, noting that three consecutive integrated resource plans recommended its retirement.
The 103.7-megawatt unit, which began operations in 1966, was originally slated to retire in December 2025. While the DOE maintains the unit is critical for regional grid reliability during periods of high demand, local advocacy groups and CenterPoint have questioned the necessity of keeping the "dilapidated" asset online.
{snip}
18 hrs ago
oximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/wevv.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/ff/0ff0ba00-96b1-4093-898d-3822142a9c80/699f8342b7921.image.jpg
INDIANAPOLIS (WEVV) — The U.S. Department of Energy issued a new order forcing CenterPoint Energy to keep a Warrick County coal-fired plant operational despite warnings from the utility that the unit is unreliable and financially irresponsible to maintain.
In a February 17, 2026, letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, CenterPoint Energy Indiana Region President Michael Roeder requested the federal government allow an existing emergency order to expire on March 23, 2026. Roeder stated that maintaining F.B. Culley Unit 2 would require "substantial investment to support an inefficient and increasingly unreliable asset". ... The DOE disregarded the request, issuing Order No. 202-26-20 on March 23, which directs CenterPoint and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator to ensure the unit remains available to operate through June 21, 2026.
CenterPoint’s correspondence highlighted several concerns regarding the unit’s continued operation:
• Reliability Issues: During a 48-day period starting in late 2025, Unit 2 was out of service for 26 days due to equipment failures and could only operate on a limited basis for another 17 days.
• High Costs: Safe operation past March 2026 would require an estimated $14 million to $18 million for a mandatory 10-week turbine overhaul and boiler repairs.
• Adequate Capacity: CenterPoint asserted it has sufficient generation capacity to meet reliability requirements without the unit, noting that three consecutive integrated resource plans recommended its retirement.
The 103.7-megawatt unit, which began operations in 1966, was originally slated to retire in December 2025. While the DOE maintains the unit is critical for regional grid reliability during periods of high demand, local advocacy groups and CenterPoint have questioned the necessity of keeping the "dilapidated" asset online.
{snip}