TransAlta (TAC) confirmed Monday that its TransAlta Centralia Generation unit received a US Department of Energy order requiring Centralia Unit 2, a coal-fired power generation plant in Washington state, to remain available for operation through Sept. 13.

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued the emergency order on Friday, saying the directive aims to reduce the risk of electricity shortages and outages in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council's Northwest region.

Centralia Unit 2 has a generating capacity of about 730 megawatts and was scheduled to cease operations at the end of 2025 under agreements tied to Washington state legislation, according to the order.

TransAlta has previously announced plans to convert the unit to natural gas by 2028, Wright said in the order.

The order follows earlier emergency directives that kept the unit available through June 14, according to the directive.

TransAlta said Monday it will comply with the directive and continue working with the US Department of Energy and Washington state officials.

Price: 13.39, Change: -0.01, Percent Change: -0.07