U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Ministry of National Defense (War Department) to purchase more coal-based power. In response, thermal power plant operators pushed back, saying they are being forced to invest, while experts warned the move could lead to a meaningless increase in electricity rates.
On the 11th, local time, at a White House event to revitalize the U.S. coal industry, President Trump said, "We are going to purchase a lot of coal through the military," adding that "(coal power) is cheaper and far more effective than the methods we have used for years."
According to the executive order President Trump signed that day, the Ministry of National Defense must give priority to coal energy when entering long-term energy contracts going forward. The order states, "Coal is a resource essential to national and economic security," and that "the Ministry of National Defense must prioritize the preservation and strategic utilization of coal-based energy asset."
Trump also said the federal budget would be used to repair and upgrade aging thermal power plants in four states—Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia—to keep them running. The project is expected to tap a $625 million (about 900.1 billion won) coal industry support fund created by the Department of Energy, but the specific execution scale was not disclosed.
The administration cites the "national energy emergency" declared by President Trump last year as the basis for these steps. Shortly after taking office, Trump said, "We need twice as much energy, or more, than we have now," and "we will use emergency authority to enable the construction of large factories and artificial intelligence (AI) facilities." In line with this, Energy Minister Chris Wright has repeatedly invoked emergency powers and is said to have canceled closure plans for large thermal power plants one after another.
The issue is expense. Power plant operators say that as closures were halted by government order, they are in a position where they must spend millions of dollars to overhaul facilities, renew expired supply contracts and rehire staff.
In fact, the J.H. Campbell coal power complex in Michigan is said to incur about $615,000 (about 887.32 million won) in additional expense per day if operations continue under government orders. According to energy research firm Grid Strategies, if such measures are expanded to thermal power plants slated for closure through 2028, it is estimated to cost more than $3 billion (about 4.3284 trillion won) annually.
State governments and public power companies are also mounting fierce resistance. In Colorado, power plant operators ordered to keep running argued that the federal government effectively forced the use of private property, raising constitutional concerns. Fifteen state governments have filed suit arguing the "energy emergency" declaration itself is unjustified and are seeking to suspend the order's effect.
Harvard Law School Professor Ari Peskoe said, "These aging plants were already costly to operate and faced cheaper alternatives, so their retirement was to be expected," adding, "Consumers are left with nothing but higher electricity bills and no benefit."
Meanwhile, the move is seen as an extension of the Trump administration's policy of supporting fossil fuels. The government is also easing or abolishing federal regulations that limit greenhouse gas emissions, and is reportedly considering withdrawing a past federal research finding that officially recognized that "greenhouse gas emissions cause global warming."