Generate: The Stakes of Trump’s Plan to Prop Up Coal

View on Axios website

Date

July 9, 2018

News Type

Media Highlight

Source

Axios

"Potential Trump administration moves to prop up coal-fired and nuclear power plants for 2 years would cause an estimated 353–815 pollution-related premature deaths and modestly boost carbon emissions, analysts with a non-partisan think tank said. Why it matters: The new study, by researchers working with Resources For the Future, represents an early attempt to quantify the effects of brewing, highly controversial plans to aggressively intervene in power markets on behalf of economically struggling coal plants and nuclear generators."

Topics

Electric Power

Related Content

Working Paper — Jul 5, 2018

Retirements and Funerals: The Emission, Mortality, and Coal-Mine Employment Effects of a Two-Year Delay in Coal and Nuclear Power Plant Retirements

Common Resources — Sep 25, 2025

Incentivizing Superhot Rock Geothermal Exploration

Superhot rock geothermal wells could help the United States meet rising electricity demand. However, a lack of geological information means that drilling these expensive wells is risky. Two types of programs could provide needed geological information.

Resources Radio — Sep 23, 2025

Airing New Concerns with US Carbon Capture Policies, with Sheila Olmstead

Sheila Olmstead discusses the complex nature of federal subsidies related to carbon capture and storage. These subsidies might reduce carbon emissions—but also can be expensive, discourage clean energy projects, and motivate more pollution.

Working Paper — Sep 23, 2025

Grid Connection Costs as a Barrier to Building New Generation: Evidence and Implications for Transmission Policy

This working paper studies how the costs of grid connection impede investment in generation capacity, providing three key findings that have implications for transmission policy.