The Department of Energy (DOE) has taken several steps to reinforce the role of coal in the United States’ energy sector under President Trump’s administration. The DOE reinstated the National Coal Council (NCC), which had been dissolved in 2021, following an executive order from President Trump aimed at revitalizing the coal industry.
The NCC, which held its first meeting on January 15, 2026, is chaired by Jim Grech of Peabody Energy Corp., with Jimmy Brock of Core Natural Resources serving as Vice Chair. The council is composed of experts from various sectors including industry, academia, state and tribal organizations, and non-governmental groups. Its purpose is to provide expert advice on coal technologies and markets.
According to the DOE, these actions are part of a broader strategy to ensure that coal remains a reliable and affordable source of energy for the country. “DOE and Secretary Wright are fully committed to strengthening coal’s role in powering the U.S., as it provides around-the-clock reliable, and affordable energy.”
In support of this strategy, several financial measures have been introduced. On October 29, 2025, DOE closed a loan for a coal-powered fertilizer facility in West Terre Haute, Indiana. A month earlier, $625 million was allocated to expand the coal industry in line with recent executive orders focused on strengthening grid reliability and reviving clean coal initiatives.
Additional initiatives include making $200 billion available for low-cost financing aimed at upgrading coal infrastructure and supporting new projects. In May 2025, DOE designated steelmaking coal as a critical material. The National Energy Technology Laboratory also patented technology designed to extract minerals from coal ash for use in multiple industries.
Emergency measures have also been implemented to maintain grid stability amid concerns over plant closures and increasing demand from data centers. A DOE report issued on July 7, 2025 found that closing more power plants could make outages up to 100 times more likely by 2030 due to dependence on intermittent sources like wind and solar power.
As stated by DOE: “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, coal plants across the country are reversing plans to shut down. In 2025, more than 15 gigawatts of coal-power electricity generation were saved.”
To further prevent outages and maintain supply reliability, the administration has issued emergency orders affecting several power plants across Colorado, Indiana, Washington State, and other regions—directing operators not to close certain facilities or units.
These efforts reflect ongoing federal policies prioritizing domestic energy production through traditional sources such as coal while addressing concerns about electric grid reliability.
