In a striking departure from the energy policies of the Biden and Obama administrations, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has signaled a strong commitment to reviving the nation’s coal industry, calling for an immediate halt to the closure of coal-fired power plants.
During a recent interview with Bloomberg, Wright outlined his vision for an “all of the above” energy strategy, emphasizing coal’s critical role in ensuring affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the United States.
Wright’s comments mark a dramatic reversal from the previous administration’s efforts to phase out coal in favor of renewable energy sources.
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“Coal has been essential to the United States’ energy system for over 100 years,” Wright said. “It’s been the largest source of global electricity for nearly 100 years, and it will be for decades to come. We need to be realistic about that.”
The Energy Secretary argued that the Biden and Obama administrations’ policies to shrink the coal power generation sector have had detrimental effects, making electricity more expensive and destabilizing the nation’s power grid.
He stressed that the Trump administration’s agenda to reindustrialize the American economy and bring heavy industries back from overseas relies heavily on abundant, reliable, and affordable energy—something he believes coal, natural gas, and nuclear power can provide.
While Wright acknowledged that a full-scale resurgence of coal power is unlikely in the short term, he emphasized the importance of stopping the closure of existing coal plants.
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“The best we can hope for in the short term is to stop the closure of coal power plants. No one has won by that action,” he said. He also suggested that regional grid managers could consider reactivating mothballed coal plants, though new coal plant permits are unlikely in the near future.
Wright’s advocacy for coal is part of a broader strategy to reindustrialize the U.S. economy and reduce reliance on foreign energy sources. He pointed to Germany’s energy policies as a cautionary tale, noting that the country’s heavy investment in renewables has led to skyrocketing electricity prices, a 20% reduction in total electricity production, and an exodus of industries.
“We’re not going to go down the road of Germany,” Wright said. “They spent half a trillion dollars, more than doubled their electricity prices, and their industry is fleeing the country. That’s the path the United States was starting to go down, but that’s the wrong path.”
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While Wright expressed support for solar energy as part of the nation’s energy mix, he notably excluded wind power from his vision.
His focus remains on ensuring a stable and affordable energy supply to support the Trump administration’s reindustrialization goals.
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