in effect
Executive Order 14386, signed February 11, 2026, directs the Department of War (DOW) to prioritize coal-fired power plants as an energy source for military installations and defense facilities. It frames reliable, on-demand electricity as a national security requirement and positions coal as the preferred means of meeting that requirement.
The Secretary of War, working with the Secretary of Energy, is now directed to pursue long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with coal-fired power plants to supply DOW installations and other mission-critical facilities. Previously there was no such specific directive requiring the military to favor coal-sourced electricity contracts. Agreements must prioritize three criteria: preventing grid blackouts, securing on-site fuel supplies, and maintaining operational readiness for defense and intelligence missions. The order builds on two earlier executive orders from April 2025 that declared coal essential to national security, and a January 2025 declaration of a national energy emergency. No specific dollar amounts, contract lengths, or deadlines are set — implementation is subject to available appropriations and existing law.
Coal-fired power plant operators stand to gain as direct potential counterparties to new long-term federal electricity contracts. Military installations, command centers, and defense-industrial facilities are the intended recipients of the more stable power supply the order aims to secure. Federal energy and procurement officials in the DOW and Department of Energy are now responsible for identifying and negotiating qualifying agreements under this directive.