This feels like a great idea on the surface, but will likely be overcome by a federal government no longer playing by the rules, requires swift and decisive action on the state government’s side that has not been consistent across the US, even when there’s an obvious issue and solution.

Unfortunately the gov cannot decide who ultimately pays for the tax, just who ends up needing to put it on their balance sheet. If residential consumers demand is inelastic, relative to the commercial customers, then they will pay the tax. I have zero insight into whether domestic or commercial customers have higher demand elasticity, but it's worth being aware of this general principle [0].

[0]https://mru.org/courses/principles-economics-microeconomics/...

The rules don’t matter at this point in the governance cycle, attempts to be clever will be ignored by the federal government. Start tearing up the rails used for delivery of coal to these plants, and it solves the problem of illegal DOE must run orders for coal generators that have reached retirement and have received grid operator approval to shutdown. No coal supply, no way to satisfy an illegal order.

Be prepared to switch gears and approach an adversary at their level. Legality when the law matters, direct action when the law doesn’t matter.

Trump's coal friends funded him into power, so now he is funding them.

I don't know when we will realize that big money and an imposing federal government both are evil. Money and power should ideally be distributed, not vastly concentrated. The Gini index and similar indexes come to mind. The purpose of a federal government should be to grant rights, not restrictions.

From the article, this is the only reason I can see for the order to keep it going...

Quote: "That analysis, commissioned by Puget Sound Energy, Tacoma Power, Avista, Seattle City Light, and others, argues that Washington could get hit with an electricity crisis."

The above is if they have an extended downtime. So, the only argument can be that as the power companies shut down, it might create an emergency in Washington, or a crisis if power is needed and it's not there.

Edit, added: It seems the above power companies are in Washington and concluded themselves that it might be dangerous and create an energy crisis?

Clean air is woke.