The challenge: Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club and Earthjustice (on behalf of Florida Rising) are challenging the Department of Energy’s emergency order that blocked the planned retirement of Orlando’s 39-year-old Stanton coal plant, arguing the order is unlawful.Cost impacts: The costs of running the coal plant, over $6 million per month, will likely be passed onto Central Florida families and businesses, increasing monthly electricity bills.The extension is unnecessary: The Orlando Utilities Commission had already planned to replace Stanton Unit 1 with natural gas and solar.<\/p>\n
(Orlando, FL — July 7, 2026) Public interest organizations are challenging the Department of Energy\u2019s\u00a0illegal emergency order<\/a> extending the life of the 39-year-old Stanton coal plant in Orlando. The groups include Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club and Earthjustice, representing Florida Rising.<\/p>\n The\u00a0request for rehearing<\/a>\u00a0was filed\u00a0in response to DOE\u2019s June 4 order, which prevented the planned retirement of Unit 1 at the end of May 2026. DOE\u2019s order forces the plant to remain available to operate for 90 days and may be renewed, as the administration has repeatedly done with five other unlawful coal plant orders.<\/p>\n Orlando Utilities Commission\u2019s financial reports reveal that coal has been its\u00a0highest cost fuel per megawatt hour<\/a>\u00a0in recent years, costing more than natural gas and the cost of purchasing solar power. Stanton Unit 1 costs an\u00a0estimated $6.2 million<\/a> each month to run. According to\u00a0EDF analysis<\/a>, propping up this coal plant could add over $20 to monthly electricity bills, if the costs of keeping the plant open are assigned solely to OUC customers. In addition to ratepayer impacts, the plant has heavy health impacts, causing an estimated\u00a045 premature deaths<\/a> annually from toxic air pollution.<\/p>\n OUC planned to replace Stanton 1 with natural gas and solar resources. While the Department of Energy claims that keeping Stanton online is necessary for grid reliability, OUC’s own\u00a0planning documents from last year<\/a> conclude that the utility is projected to maintain adequate power capacity through at least 2034 (page 63). The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, an organization responsible for assessing grid reliability, also rates Florida’s electric system as having the highest reliability rating for both\u00a0Summer 2026<\/a> and\u00a0long-term resource adequacy<\/a>.<\/p>\n