The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded approximately $21 million to the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative.
The funding will modernize the Apache Generating Station through the RECOAL project. RECOAL (Revitalizing Energy Capacity with Optimized Assets and Long-Life Infrastructure) aims to improve efficiency and extend the operational life of coal assets.
This initiative utilizes the Defense Production Act to preserve dispatchable power sources for grid reliability. Rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence, data centers, and manufacturing drove the funding decision.
The administration has now supported 45 coal plants to maintain domestic generation capacity. This policy shift focuses on bolstering traditional energy sources to meet new technological power demands.