President Donald Trump will announce three major coal initiatives on Thursday, including $425 million in Defense Production Act (DPA) funds for 13 coal plants and mines across multiple states, $75 million for a new coal export terminal in Oakland, California, and $200 million in grants to build two new coal plants and reopen a shuttered one, according to a White House official cited in the report. The official said the actions aim to extend coal plant lifespans, enhance grid reliability, and create thousands of jobs, with the administration claiming the moves will save consumers $50 billion in new generation costs.

The $425 million lifeline for 13 coal plants across 10 states

The largest component of the announcement is $425 million in Defense Production Act funds, which will support 13 coal plants spread across ten states as well as coal mines in nine states. The White House official stated that the funding is intended to extend the operational life of these plants through upgrades, bolster grid reliability, and prevent electricity price surges amid growing demand. As the report outlines, this is not the first time the Trump administration has used the DPA for energy — a law originally designed for national defense — but the scale of this allocation signals a significant commitment to propping up coal infrastructure.

The $75 million export terminal in Oakland and its 1,400 jobs

A second initiative directs $75 million in DPA funds toward constructing the West Gateway Terminal, a coal-export facility in Oakland, California, expected to be completed by summer 2028. According to the report, the terminal will operate year-round day and night, exporting over 12 million tons of coal annually — valued at $1 billion — and is projected to create 1,400 on-site jobs while supporting thousands more in western states. the choice of Oakland is notable given California’s aggressive climate goals and environmental regulations, and it remains an open question whether the project will face legal or permitting challenges from state or local authorities.

$200 million in grants for new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia and a Maryland reopening

The third piece is $200 million in grants to build two new coal plants — one in Alaska and one in West Virginia — and to reopen a shuttered plant in Maryland, with matching funds provided by the companies involved . The White House official said these actions are estimated to retain 12,500 coal jobs and create or support a total of 14,000 jobs across coal, construction, maritime, and rail sectors . The official also claimed the initiatives could save consumers $50 billion in new generation costs, though the report does not provide a breakdown of how that figure was calculated. It is unclear which companies are supplying the matching funds or what guarantees exist that the saved costs will be passed to ratepayers.

102 coal plants supported or saved: Trump’s record on coal

According to the White House official cited in the report, after Thursday’s announcements the Trump administration will have supported or saved 102 coal plants during his tenure — a tally that underscores how central coal has become to the president’s energy agenda. The move comes as coal’s share of U.S. electricity generation has steadily declined due to competition from cheaper natural gas and renewables, as well as environmental regulations. The broader context is a deliberate strategy to reverse those trends by using federal funds to keep aging plants online, even as market forces and climate concerns push in the opposite direction. What remains unknown is whether these plants will be economically viable in the long term without continued subsidies, and how the administration plans to address the environmental and health costs associated with coal combustion.