Trump-backed gas power plant could become the largest air polluter in the US
Kyiv • UNN
A new 9.2 GW gas power plant, backed by the Trump administration, risks becoming the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. It is estimated that it could emit up to 19.4 million tons of CO2 annually, exceeding the most powerful coal-fired plants.
A large-scale project for a new 9.2 Gigawatt gas power plant, which received support from the Donald Trump administration, risks becoming the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country's energy sector. According to BloombergNEF analysts, if completed, this facility will surpass even the most powerful coal-fired power plants currently operating in the United States in terms of pollution. This is reported by UNN.
Details
If the plant operates at 65% of its capacity using standard combined-cycle gas turbines, it could emit approximately 19.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Project scale and environmental risks
The new plant, capable of supplying electricity to millions of households, has become part of the Trump administration's strategy to expand fossil fuel extraction and use under the slogan of energy independence.
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However, environmentalists and Rhodium Group analysts emphasize that even with moderate forecasts, the facility's annual emissions will be about 16.2 million tons of CO2. For comparison: this is equivalent to the emissions from almost 3.8 million gasoline-powered passenger cars over a year.
Energy policy amidst climate challenges
The emergence of such a powerful gas facility comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration's cancellation of a number of environmental restrictions for industrial enterprises.
In particular, recent decisions on two-year exemptions from air quality standards for petrochemical plants in Texas and Louisiana have already sparked protests from local communities. While the White House promotes gas as a "cleaner alternative" to coal, scientists warn that the full life cycle of methane emissions from extraction and transportation could negate any environmental benefits of such a transition.
Comparison with coal generation
According to EPA data, the James H. Miller Jr. coal-fired power plant in Alabama, which was previously considered one of the leaders in terms of pollution, emitted about 16.6 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2023. Thus, the new gas giant will not only match the coal capacities of the previous generation but will also likely set a new anti-record for the American energy system.