US coal-fired power plants should be restarted to meet increasing electricity demand driven by the growth of artificial intelligence, according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. He made this statement during a video interview with Bloomberg News.
The US currently uses less than 20% of coal for generating electricity compared to over half at the beginning of the century. To address the energy gap, Burgum suggested streamlining environmental regulations imposed by past administrations. This could help reduce regulatory barriers and promote energy independence.
Burgum chairs Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council and emphasized the need to keep all plants open during a national energy emergency declared by President Trump.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-should-restart-shuttered-coal-units-interior-secretary-tells-bloomberg-2025-03-10