U.S. President Donald Trump has taken several steps to extend America's reliance on coal power, ordering the Pentagon to buy power from coal plants and announcing millions of dollars to upgrade existing facilities. Trump directed Secretary of Defense Hegseth to sign power purchase agreements with coal-fired power plants to ensure power for military operations. According to the executive order, the Pentagon's Office of Energy Facilities will seek long-term agreements to secure supply for greater demand and more stable power use.
"We're going to be buying coal in large quantities through the military right now, and it's going to be cheaper and actually more efficient than the coal we've been using for years," Trump said Wednesday at a White House event attended by miners, coal executives and energy industry leaders.
Trump praised coal as the "most reliable and trustworthy" form of energy and said the administration's actions would help increase coal power generation, thereby lowering electricity prices for consumers and ensuring a stable supply of electricity to industries critical to national security.
Trump said, "In the first year of my administration, coal-fired power generation increased by nearly 15%, and in the next year this number will reach about 25% to 30%. Increased coal-fired power generation means lower costs, and more money will be saved in the pockets of the American people and the US government. This is not a bad thing."