Trump directs $700 million to 13 coal plants and export projects
Why it matters: The plan uses national defense authority and aims to keep aging plants running as power demand rises.
President Donald Trump moved to spend nearly $700 million to bolster the U.S. coal industry, backing 13 coal-fired power plants and several export and construction projects. The White House said the administration will use a Cold War-era national defense law to support plants across the country, help build new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia, restart a coal plant in Maryland and advance a delayed coal export terminal in Oakland, California. The administration says the package will support or create more than 14,000 jobs in coal, construction, rail and maritime work. The move extends Trump’s push to reverse coal’s long decline as utilities face rising electricity demand tied to data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars.