Trump Admin Looking To Restore Coal Plants As America’s Grid Buckles

The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking to restore coal plants across America “for up to $100 million in federal funding.”

The DOE announced Friday that it issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity to restore coal plants across the U.S. to “design, implement, test, and validate three strategic opportunities for refurbishment and retrofit of existing American coal power plants to make them operate more efficiently, reliably, and affordably.” President Donald Trump has sought to bolster the American coal industry through an April 8 executive order, though the Biden administration cracked down on coal through stringent regulations in a move that several energy policy experts and one grid official warned could weaken America’s power grid.

“For years, the Biden and Obama administrations relentlessly targeted America’s coal industry and workers, resulting in the closure of reliable power plants and higher electricity costs,” said DOE Secretary Chris Wright on Friday. “Thankfully, President Trump has ended the war on American coal and is restoring common sense energy policies that put Americans first. These projects will help keep America’s coal plants operating and ensure the United States has the reliable and affordable power it needs to keep the lights on and power our future.”

The DOE has issued several emergency orders to keep coal plants humming as it has also sounded alarms over America’s grid. DOE’s July grid reliability report projected that blackouts could increase by a factor of 100 across America if the U.S. continues to phase out reliable power sources without adequate replacements.

While Trump has sought to boost coal and other reliable energy sources like nuclear, the Biden administration favored intermittent green energy sources like wind and solar in the name of combating climate change.

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