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A US appeals court has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to delay implementing new rules designed to limit interstate air pollution due to go into effect on January 1, offering a boost to power companies who oppose the regulations.

Friday’s decision means that new restrictions on sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from power plants in the eastern part of the US will not go into force until the court has had a chance to review them in more detail.

Since the EPA released the rules in July, they have provoked a storm of controversy. Power producers in Texas were particularly outspoken, arguing that the tough limits and short timeline would force them to shut down plants and lay off workers.

The EPA has stepped up efforts to reduce air pollution in recent months, insisting that new regulations are vital to prevent power stations releasing harmful emissions that cross state lines and damage the health of millions of Americans.

On Friday, a spokesperson for the EPA said the ruling was “disappointing” but noted that the “decision is not a decision on the merits of the rule and EPA firmly believes that when the court does weigh the merits of the rule, it will ultimately be upheld.”

Meanwhile, Luminant, a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings and the largest competitive power generation business in Texas, welcomed the court decision and said that it would keep open two units it had planned to idle from January.

“Today’s decision allows valued employees across our system to continue working on important generation, mining and other operations … providing needed generation for the Texas electric market,” the company said.