Coal Power Plants Are a False Promise for Energy Communities
Pennsylvanians should prepare for higher energy bills, worse air pollution if coal plants are ordered into Reliability Must Run status.
If the Trump Administration gets its way, we will face skyrocketing energy bills and a significant increase in dangerous air pollution.
A new executive order plans to force some coal-fired power plants set for closure to stay open and remain operational. This could include Pennsylvania’s Conemaugh and Keystone coal-fired power plants scheduled for closure in 2028. This order comes as the Trump Administration moved to shutter mine safety offices in coal country, putting miners’ lives at greater risk. This misguided executive order will financially burden Pennsylvanians by mandating that we pay inflated prices for energy.
This move by the Trump administration threatens the economic and environmental health of our communities. Coal-fired power plants are outdated and uncompetitive. The market has determined that this industry is no longer a viable, economical source of power; it has moved on. Attempts to revive this industry are manipulative and exploitative of current and former coal communities. We must be crafting policies that modernize our energy systems and economy for the health and prosperity of all workers and residents.