Strengthening United States National Defense With America's Beautiful Clean Coal Power Generation Fleet
Signed: February 11, 2026
Published: February 17, 2026
Document Number: 2026-03156
📋Summary
This executive order directs the Department of War, working with the Department of Energy, to strengthen national defense by relying more on coal-fired power to keep the electric grid steady and dependable. It affects federal military and other mission-critical facilities, as well as coal power plants that could supply them under long-term contracts. The main action it mandates is pursuing long-term power purchase agreements (or similar contracts) to buy electricity from the U.S. coal generation fleet, prioritizing projects that improve grid reliability, reduce blackout risk, and ensure secure fuel supplies for critical defense and intelligence operations. It also states that implementation must follow existing law and available funding, and it does not create new legal rights for outside parties.
💼Business Impact
This order most directly affects coal-fired power generators, coal mining/logistics firms, and defense-adjacent utilities/independent power producers near Department of War (DOW) installations, because it directs DOW (with DOE) to pursue long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) specifically with the U.S. coal generation fleet. The main opportunity is new, longer-tenor federal offtake contracts for coal plants—especially those that can demonstrate blackout prevention, on-site fuel security (e.g., robust coal stockpiles), and “mission assurance” features like islanding/microgrid capability and hardened infrastructure; expect tighter performance, reliability, and security requirements in solicitations rather than broad new regulatory compliance. Immediate actions: coal generators and their suppliers should map assets within deliverable range of mission-critical federal facilities, prepare a “defense reliability” bid package (fuel inventory plans, resilience upgrades, cybersecurity/physical security posture, and outage history), and engage early with DOW/DOE procurement channels and local base energy managers; large electricity buyers and utilities should also reassess contracting strategy and reputational/ESG impacts if coal-backed PPAs become a preferred federal reliability tool.
Full Text
Executive Order 14386 of February 11, 2026
Strengthening United States National Defense With America's Beautiful Clean Coal Power Generation Fleet
Section 1 . Purpose. The United States must ensure that our electric grid—upon which military installations, operations, and defense-industrial production depend—remains resilient and reliable, and not reliant on intermittent energy sources. The grid is the foundation of our national defense as well as our economic stability. Any prolonged disruption caused by energy shortages, foreign supply dependencies, or intermittent generation threatens the operational readiness of our Armed Forces and the safety of the American people.
Given our Nation's vast coal resources and the proven reliability of our coal-fired generation fleet in providing continuous, on-demand baseload power, it is imperative that the Department of War (DOW) prioritize the preservation and strategic utilization of coal-based energy assets. Coal generation ensures that military installations, command centers, and defense-industrial bases remain fully powered under all conditions—including natural disasters, or wartime contingencies. Maintaining this capability is a matter of national security, strategic deterrence, and American energy dominance.
Sec. 2 . Policy. Pursuant to Executive Order 14261 of April 8, 2025 (Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241), and Executive Order 14262 of April 8, 2025 (Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the United States Electric Grid), it is the policy of the United States that coal is essential to our national and economic security, and that our electric grid must use power generation resources that have abundant fuel supplies capable of extended operations to address the national emergency declared pursuant to Executive Order 14156 of January 20, 2025 (Declaring a National Energy Emergency).
Sec. 3 . Power Purchase Agreements with Federal Installations. The Secretary of War, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall seek to procure power from the United States coal generation fleet by approving long-term Power Purchase Agreements, or entering into any similar contractual agreements, with coal-fired energy production facilities to serve DOW installations or other mission-critical facilities, with priority given to projects that enhance:
(a) grid reliability and blackout prevention;
(b) on-site fuel security; and
(c) mission assurance for defense and intelligence capabilities.
Sec. 4 . General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
( printed page 7394)(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the DOW.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 11, 2026.