DAGSBORO, Del. - Republican lawmakers in Delaware are currently exploring options to bring the Indian River Power Plant in Dagsboro back online in an effort to address rising energy costs in the First State.
According to Delaware Senate Republicans, Senators Hocker and Pettyjohn are working with stakeholders to determine how to restore operations at the power plant. Bringing the plant back online would help strengthen Delaware’s power grid and help lower energy costs, the lawmakers argue.
The Indian River Power Plant was decommissioned in February of last year after nearly 70 years in operation. The final coal train left the plant in late December of 2025.
In a Delaware State Senate Republican Caucus podcast interview released Friday, Pettyjohn confirmed that he was in talks with Chesapeake Utilities to potentially bring natural gas production to the Indian River Power Plant.
“I am having conversations right now with Chesapeake,” Pettyjohn said. “We're going to try to get together with some of the other players that have to come to the table and see what they need in order to get generation back there at that power plant, ideally with natural gas.”
Republican lawmakers also say they have introduced legislation to incentivize the construction of more natural gas power plants, helped create a task force to explore the use of nuclear energy, and supported legislation to expand renewable options while maintaining grid reliability.
The feasibility of reopening the Indian River Power Plant remains to be seen, as do potential impacts that reopening could have on Delaware energy customers.