"Federal Electricity Study Hints at Future Support for Coal"

"WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Wednesday released a major report urging actions to protect the “reliability and resilience” of the nation’s electric grid, a move that could lay the groundwork for future support of America’s ailing coal and nuclear industries.

The 187-page study, commissioned by Energy Secretary Rick Perry in April, recommends that federal regulators make changes to wholesale electricity markets that could potentially benefit existing coal and nuclear plants. Revenues for many of these facilities have slumped in recent years as electricity prices have declined, mostly because of cheap natural gas, the study said, but also as a result of low electricity demand growth and the rise of wind and solar power.

More than 200 coal plants and five nuclear reactors have closed across the United States since 2010, and President Trump has vowed to revitalize both industries, though doing so would require resisting powerful market forces reshaping the energy landscape."

Brad Plumer reports for the New York Times August 23, 2017.

SEE ALSO:

"Coal: DOE Report Blames Natural Gas For Closures" (EnergyWire)

"Coal, Nuclear Power Would Benefit From Energy Department's Power Grid Study" (NPR)