February 20, 2025 - On Wednesday, Feb. 12, during an interview with Bloomberg News, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright cautioned that states need to halt the closure of coal plants as electricity demand rises and power costs escalate.

Secretary Wright’s comments about keeping coal-fired units open are particularly important for states like Indiana. Indiana’s electric utilities are required to submit an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) every three years. This plan outlines how the utility will meet the state’s energy needs over the next 20 years. Duke Energy Indiana released its latest IRP in November 2024, which explores scenarios of either keeping coal plants open or converting them to other sources.