The White House is looking to increase coal power by way of small-scale plants scattered across the country, according to a new report.
Axios reported Wednesday that the Trump administration plans to ask companies for help in developing the technology.
The use of coal has been on the decline in recent years for several reasons, including concerns about its negative impact on the environment and lower-cost sources of energy such as natural gas.
Small-scale facilities would have the ability to be switched on and off as needed, which is what the Trump administration is seeking. The thought, according to Axios, would be to activate the plants when additional energy is needed to supplement other power sources such as wind and solar.
"If we're successful with these small modular coal plants … that could be a paradigm shift," Steve Winberg, assistant secretary for fossil energy at the Department of Energy, told Axios.
President Donald Trump spoke highly of coal power during his campaign and has continued to do so in the 13-plus months since he took office. He pulled the United States from the Paris climate accord last year, in part to keep his campaign promise to continue mining for fossil fuels such as coal.
Trump has also referred to coal as "clean coal" on multiple occasions, a description that contradicts what many have claimed.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.