America’s Power submitted the following letter to the editor in response to “Trump’s Push to Keep Coal Plants Open Is Costing Hundreds of Millions,” which was published by the New York Times on May 14, 2026.
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Dear Letters Editor,
The costs of keeping coal plants open pales next to the reliability risks and economic consequences of closing them prematurely.
Electricity consumption in the United States reached a record high in 2025 and is projected to continue climbing in 2026 and 2027. At the same time, the North American Reliability Corporation has concluded that half the country now faces a high risk of blackouts.
One main driver of this dangerous situation is the premature retirement of coal power plants. The United States has more than 49,000 megawatts of coal capacity scheduled to retire over the next five years, even as we contend with record levels of consumption.
Unlike renewable energy sources, coal plants can produce electricity 24/7 and during extreme weather events. This makes them uniquely important to ensuring electric reliability.
The Department of Energy’s decision to keep certain coal plants open will help prevent blackouts that not only threaten lives but carry their own steep economic costs. Grid failures caused by Winter Storm Uri in 2021 cost the Texas economy between $80 billion to $130 billion.
Keeping coal plants open is essential to ensuring the U.S. can keep the power on when it is needed most.
Sincerely,
Michelle Bloodworth, President and CEO of America’s Power