The US postpones the closure of many coal-fired power plants to meet the electricity needs of AI.

Maintaining plants that have been operating for decades is part of a strategy to boost electricity supplies, alongside promoting nuclear power and allowing backup plants to run continuously.

On September 25, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that the Trump administration expects most of the coal-fired power plants that are nearing their end of life to continue operating to ensure an increasing power supply for artificial intelligence (AI).

Maintaining plants that have been operating for decades is part of a strategy to boost electricity supply, alongside promoting nuclear power and allowing backup plants to run continuously, according to Mr. Wright.

He stressed that the government considered expanding power generation a top priority, while dismissing concerns about climate change.

Mr. Wright said the Department of Energy has been working with many utilities and believes most coal plants slated for retirement will have to postpone their plans. The government is also prepared to use emergency powers under the Federal Power Act to extend operations.

Last month, the department extended orders keeping a coal plant in Michigan and an oil-gas plant in Pennsylvania operating, even though the developer had previously planned to close it for economic reasons.

In addition to coal, the US will also tap more capacity from the existing grid by running backup generators continuously. In parallel, the Trump administration is promoting nuclear energy through licensing reforms and support for new technologies.

Two nuclear plants that were shut down, including Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, are now in the process of being restarted to provide power for Microsoft's data center.

The US Energy Information Administration forecasts US electricity demand will hit record levels this year and next, continuing to surge this decade as AI data center campuses come online.

The Energy Department has received about 300 proposals to develop power plants and data centers on federal land, Mr. Wright said.

He also emphasized that the race to dominate global AI depends on the ability to connect new power sources, in which the US and China are the two main competitors./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/my-hoan-dong-cua-nhieu-nha-may-nhet-dien-than-de-dap-ung-nhu-cau-dien-cho-ai-post1064202.vnp