The U.S. Department of Energy announced plans on Monday to invest $625 million into the expansion of America’s coal industry to help provide additional energy for the growth of artificial intelligence.
The Energy Department stated in a news release about the investment that the funds will be used to “boost energy production and support coal communities nationwide.”
Funds from this investment will be split up into various sectors, with $350 million being used for the modernization of coal plants, and another $175 million being used on projects that will “provide direct benefits of energy affordability, reliability, and resiliency in rural communities.”
The remaining $100 million will be allocated to three separate projects.
$50 million will be used to improve waste and water management at coal plants, which will then extend the operational life of these plants and reduce their operational costs.
An additional $25 million will be allocated to retrofitting plants, enabling them to switch between various fuels, while the remaining $25 million will be utilized to enhance boiler efficiency at these plants.
Although the Energy Department did not specify the potential growth of artificial intelligence, U.S. Energy Secretary Christopher Wright has said this investment will be used for these purposes.
Wright discussed the investment during an appearance on FOX Business’ “Mornings with Maria,” explaining that this investment will help the U.S. in multiple ways.
“We’re going to export more of that coal, we’re going to use it for American industry, particularly as we reindustrialize, and it’s going to continue to provide 15%-16% of our electricity and enable us to reindustrialize and win the AI race,” he said, per Fox Business.
This move to boost the coal industry in the U.S. comes as the Trump administration has repeatedly attempted to improve the development of AI in the country, with Trump taking various steps to reach these goals.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Trump recently hosted executives from the top U.S. technology companies at the White House.
This meeting aimed to help keep U.S. technology companies on track regarding AI development, with the administration providing additional infrastructure to help the U.S. lead the global AI growth race.