While energy companies rake in profits, Michigan residents are about to get stuck with the bill for Trump’s coal obsession. The J.H. Campbell coal plant was supposed to shut down by now. Instead, it’s burning through money faster than coal — a whopping $615,000 every single day. Since May 2023, that’s added up to $80 million in unnecessary costs. Guess who’ll eventually pay for that? Hint: Check your electric bill.
The Trump administration pushed to keep these dinosaurs running under the guise of an “energy emergency.” Environmental groups aren’t buying it. The mandate flies in the face of Michigan’s plans to shift to cleaner energy sources. Meanwhile, the planet keeps warming. Great.
When politics force-feeds coal in the name of “energy security,” Michigan’s clean energy future gets left in the ash heap.
The utility hasn’t exactly been forthcoming about how they’ll stick customers with these costs. No breakdown of what this means for the average household. No timeline for when the charges might appear. No clarity on whether they need approval to raid your wallet. They’re just racking up expenses while keeping everyone in the dark. Transparency? Never heard of her.
In Colorado, where similar battles are playing out, Xcel Energy calculated $213 million in potential savings from coal plant closures. That’s money Michigan residents won’t see as long as Campbell keeps belching smoke into the sky. The math isn’t complicated. Keeping old coal plants running costs more than shutting them down.
Curiously absent from the conversation are Michigan regulators. No word on whether the Public Service Commission has challenged the federal mandate or how they’ll handle the inevitable request to pass costs to consumers. No public hearings. No notices. Nothing.
The worst part? This whole mess contradicts the utility’s own plans to retire the plant and invest in renewables. Switching to geothermal energy could provide Michigan with a 96% capacity factor while operating continuously regardless of weather conditions. Now Michigan ratepayers are funding a coal life-support system nobody asked for. The $80 million tab is just the beginning. The meter’s still running at $615,000 a day. Environmental advocates have rightfully labeled this situation a “manufactured crisis” designed to prop up the dying coal industry. Your bill is in the mail.
References
* https://www.cpr.org/2025/10/31/jeff-hurd-trump-pueblo-comanche-plants/
