Artificial Intelligencer, Data Centers Key for Coal-Fired Power, Natural Gas Production
With coal largely being supplanted by natural gas as the fossil fuel of choice for the electric-producing industry, growth in the use of artificial intelligence and the data centers that back up those programs could be the key for both industries to prosper.
The Joint Committee on Energy and Public Works received updates Monday morning during its meetings in the House of Delegates chamber on the second day of December legislative interim meetings at the Capitol.
Charlotte Lane, chairwoman of the West Virginia Public Service Commission, provided lawmakers an update on the coal industry provisions within House Bill 2014, the Power Generation and Consumption Act passed by the Legislature earlier this year to attract new data centers and the microgrid power plants these data centers may need.
Charlotte Lane
As part of the new law, coal-fired power plants are required to maintain an average 30-day supply of coal, with the PSC authorized to promulgate rules to enforce this requirement. The commission also is authorized to create rules governing the utilization of automatic adjustment clauses, fuel supply contract price indexes and fuel adjustment clauses in order to encourage increasing electric generation at coal-fired power plants.
“The legislation…also sets forth rulemaking,” Lane said. “The first one is talking about the capacity markets and why (Appalachian Power) should stay on its fixed resource requirement, and talking about the reliability pricing model that Mon Power has…those rules have to be filed for legislative approval, and we are evaluating and working on those rules.”
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Old Coal Unit at Giant Colorado Plant Evades Closure
One turbine at a massive Colorado coal plant will live to see 2026. Another might not be so lucky.
Their fate at the Comanche Generating Station has massive implications for Colorado’s climate goals. Closing the behemoth facility outside Pueblo is key to the state’s plan to cut planet-warming pollution 50 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. Comanche is one of Colorado’s largest carbon dioxide polluters.
Xcel Energy's Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo, Colorado.
Photo: Benjamin Storrow/E&E News
State regulators envisioned a gradual phaseout of the plant’s three turbines, the first of which closed in 2022. A second 1970s-era turbine was set to close later this year. But that plan went out the window when the plant’s newest and largest turbine was forced offline in August after experiencing “elevated vibrations.”
Last week, regulators on the Colorado Public Utility Commission approved a request by Comanche’s owner and state officials to keep the older unit running for an additional year while the faulty turbine is fixed. Yet even as they approved the request, regulators indicated that the broken unit might not be worth the money to repair.
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See What the Coal & Energy Division Has Planned During MINEXCHANGE
Join your colleagues from the Coal & Energy Division at the MINEXCHANGE 2026 SME Annual Conference & Expo, happening February 22–25 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The C&E Division Lunch takes place Tuesday, February 24 from noon to 2 pm. We’ll celebrate achievements and recognize scholarship recipients. Charles Lussier, Chief Commercial Officer of Warrior Met Coal, is the lunch speaker on the topic "Warrior- Thriving amid uncertainty: Growing, adapting, and innovating." Be sure to add your ticket during registration to reserve your seat– this popular event sells out! Thank you to our Title Sponsor, Somerset International.
Relevant Professional Development
Coal & Energy DivisionTechnical Sessions:
Best of Ground Control
Coal Mine Rock Mechanics
Coal Prep Operations & Projects
CORE - CM/Rare Earths
Generating Revenue from Methane Management & Alternative Energy
Innovations in Dust Control Technology & Management
Longwall Operations & Projects (Sponsored by Barr Engineering Co.)
Mine Emergency Preparedness
Mining Machines & Equipment (Sponsored by Barr Engineering Co.)
Research & Development (Sponsored by Barr Engineering Co.)
Room and Pillar Operations & Projects
Technology, Innovations, & AI/ML (Sponsored by Barr Engineering Co.)
Uranium, Land Reclamation, & Alternative Energy (Sponsored by Barr Engineering Co.)
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Fitch Raises Coking Coal Price Forecast for 2025, Iron Ore Price to Fall as Global Supply Rises
International credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings has announced that it has updated its outlook for coking coal and iron ore, adjusting its 2025 and 2026 price assumptions to reflect stronger-than-anticipated market conditions and shifting supply fundamentals. Global iron ore supply to expand Fitch expects iron ore demand to remain broadly flat over the next two years. However, the agency sees a significant increase in global supply, estimated at 50-75 million mt during the period.
A major driver of this expansion is the ramp-up of the low-cost Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea, which is expected to deliver around 20 million mt in 2026 and 45 million mt in 2027.
With supply outpacing demand, Fitch forecasts a $100/mt iron ore price at the close of 2025 and a further drop to $90/mt in 2026. The agency noted that the higher-than expected 2026 starting point reflects the strong price environment observed year to date.
Coking Coal Outlook
Reflecting firm market conditions and robust year-to-date pricing, Fitch has raised its 2025 coking coal price assumption.
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Europe’s Green Pivot is Proving an Affordability Catastrophe
Rising electricity prices in the United States – up about 32% on average over the past five years – have become an important issue for voters. Now imagine if prices had doubled. That’s the incredible reality facing Europe.
As The Wall Street Journal reports, European politicians told voters the pivot to renewables would be a win-win, slashing emissions and slashing prices. But the reality is far different. While emissions have fallen in Europe – down 30% from 2005 levels – electricity prices have surged.
According to the International Energy Agency, Germany has the highest domestic electricity prices in the developed world, and the U.K. has the highest industrial electricity rates. The average electricity prices for heavy industry in the E.U. are twice those in the U.S. and 50% above China.
The result is a massive affordability crisis for consumers and the rapid deindustrialization of long-time powerhouse industrial economies. The economic and security implications are stark. And they’re the direct product of excruciatingly painful policy missteps.
Deindustrialization and False Promises
Europe is not only losing industry thanks to its electricity affordability debacle, it’s also finding it all but impossible to attract new energy-intensive industries, like the AI data centers leading the next economic revolution.
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