The promise of fresh demand means that some tools to reconsider the planned pension of coal power plants. In Virginia, where Amazon Web Services persists 96 data centers and invests $ 35 million To expand their campuses, the regional organization of transmission, PJM Interconnection, asked for delayed retirement of two carbon plants due to Increased demand from data centers. The demand for Google and Meta Data also runs a coal power plant in NebraSka online After the day of retirement.
But keeping the patient to maintain life is basically different than restoring the corpse from the dead. Manager of PJM he said At the conference last month, he wasn’t sure if the market “now sent a signal that coal should stick to”. Building fresh, technologically most newfangled carbon plants-Trump was floated on Tuesday’s pressure-it would be arduous to sell in the economy, in which investors are afraid of gigantic capital investments for dated technologies. Meanwhile, technology companies concentrate long -term energy investments nuclear energyas well as renewable technologies and batteries.
Even in the states where coal has political power, the data centers did not prove to be a savior. In March, legislators in western Virginia attached provisions Ending the apply of coal to a law aimed at starting the data center industry in this state. Despite the cheerleaders from the governor, the act finally passed Without coal regulations after the Power Appalas, the greatest utility of Western Virginia intervened, claiming that coal requirements would raise bills for customers. Executive director told the legislators that even a gigantic fresh customer, such as a data center, would not encourage usability to buy more power -fired power; He said that regulatory and financial reality favors natural gas.
The provisions on the emissions of carbon plants are a clear purpose of this administration. Last month, EPA introduced Package of attacks In a wide range of regulations, signaling the intention to re -consider everything from the principles regarding the emission of power plants to the reporting of greenhouse gases. The agency also created the e -mail address enable polluting petition for momentary release from mercury and air toxic standards specified on the basis of the Spotless Air Act – known as the MATS principle – as an agency, she again considered many pollution principles. Colstrip Montany power plant – one of the most muddy carbon plants in the country that was fighting Improvements ordered by the updated pollution principle – already required Infirmed leave.
If the fresh executive orders are any suggestion, Trump’s administration sees this deregulation and directing of climate change policy as a key element of coal support. Separate presidential proclamation published on Tuesday expands Exemption from Mats for an unknown number of carbon plants, while another executive management board tasks Prosecutor General attacking climate regulations at the state level, distinguishing Vermont, Modern York and California.
It is possible that coal costs can slightly decrease with fewer climate regulations. “You can run all these coal power plants without environmental regulations or reduced environmental regulations – I’m sure it will save industry money,” says Feaster. “Regardless of whether the community around these places really want, this is another problem. These environmental regulations are for some reason.”
After all, costs are not measured only in dollars. Carbon emissions include a mixture of weighty metals and chemicals, including sulfur dioxide, which can be fatal for people living around the power plant. AND test Published in 2023 in Science He estimated that in the years 1999–2020 coal power plants were responsible for 460,000 excessive deaths in the United States themselves. Meanwhile, coal waste is stored in toxic ash joints; leaks have costs Some tools Millions of dollars in settlements.
Feaster says that the tools have valued the threat to coal health and obligations that are able to decide. But it is not clear whether Trump’s administration understands this risk. Cuts in health and human services this month Ejected Employees involved in research on black lungs and other coal miners security at the National Institute for Work Safety and Health.
On Wednesday, when international markets melted, Donald Trump Published Invitation of the truth to companies to transfer their activities to the USA. “Without environmental delays,” he wrote. “Don’t wait, do it now!”