Trump signs executive order directing Pentagon to buy coal power

President Trump signed an executive order on February 11, 2026, directing the Department of Defense to enter long-term Power Purchase Agreements with coal-fired power plants to supply military installations and defense facilities. DOE was directed to distribute $175 million to upgrade six coal plants in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia, and identified more than three dozen coal plants capable of supplying electricity to military bases. The order framed coal as essential for grid reliability and national security.