In a recent interview with Fox News, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick made a strong case for the Administration’s efforts to support and preserve America’s coal fleet, emphasizing that compared to intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar, “coal you can rely upon—big, beautiful coal.” His remarks point to a continued recognition among officials in the Trump administration that our nation’s electric grid cannot operate on intermittent renewable energy sources alone and that reliable, dispatchable power sources, like the nation’s coal fleet, are essential to keeping the lights on.
Secretary Lutnick’s comments come at a time when electricity demand is surging due to explosive growth in data centers, artificial intelligence, and the premature shutdown of coal plants. In his conversation with Sean Hannity, Lutnick warned of the real-world consequences facing countries that abandon dependable energy resources like coal in favor of intermittent power, citing recent blackouts in Spain and Portugal as potential warnings for the United States.
America’s Power President and CEO Michelle Bloodworth has consistently warned that “many of these coal plants are being shut down because bad policies have made them uneconomic.” Secretary Lutnick’s comments are a welcome reminder that we must reassess the direction of our nation’s energy policy before it’s too late.
You can watch Secretary Lutnick’s interview with Fox News here: