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US Government News

Official announcements from the Department of Energy and federal agencies on mining, critical minerals, and energy policy

Energy Department Closes Loan to AEP Texas, Delivering Millions in Electricity Cost Savings for Texans
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized a significant loan of up to $3.26 billion to AEP Texas, aiming to modernize vast sections of the Texas electricity grid and deliver substantial cost savings to over one million households and businesses. This strategic investment, facilitated by the DOE's Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF), targets critical infrastructure upgrades, enhancing grid reliability and supporting the surging power demands from key industrial sectors, including the vital oil and natural gas operations in the Permian Basin. The initiative is poised to create thousands of jobs and reinforce the nation's energy security, holding considerable indirect benefits for the broader mining industry through increased demand for raw materials and a more stable, affordable energy supply.

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Secretary of Energy Chris Wright Announces Newly Appointed Members of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on July 9, 2026, the appointment of new members to its Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB), setting a strategic course for American energy policy. These 20 leaders from diverse sectors, including oil and gas, renewables, finance, and technology, will serve two-year terms expiring in May 2028, providing crucial counsel to Secretary Chris Wright on vital energy issues. The composition of the board signals a comprehensive approach to securing "affordable, reliable, and secure American energy," holding significant implications for the mining industry's role in supplying critical raw materials.

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Department of Energy Celebrates Fourth Criticality Ahead of July 4th Goal
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that Aalo Atomics' Aalo-X advanced reactor successfully achieved zero-power fueled criticality at Idaho National Laboratory, marking the fourth such milestone under the DOE Reactor Pilot Program. This achievement surpasses the goal set by President Trump's May 2025 executive order and signifies a resurgence in American nuclear energy development. The rapid construction and successful demonstration highlight the increasing momentum for advanced nuclear technologies, with significant implications for domestic uranium demand and critical mineral supply chains within the mining industry.

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Trump Administration Moves to Permanently End Green New Scam Appliance Mandates
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has introduced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to dismantle home appliance and equipment efficiency mandates, aiming to reduce costs and enhance consumer choice. Announced by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on July 2, 2026, this move aligns with President Trump's broader deregulation agenda, impacting products from air conditioners to washing machines. The proposal seeks to revise the DOE’s “Process Rule” for establishing energy conservation standards, potentially shifting demand dynamics for critical minerals and energy resources relevant to the mining sector.

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Energy Dominance Financing Office Celebrates One Year Since Passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) has marked the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts, which expanded the EDF's loan authority to over $250 billion to bolster U.S. energy and industrial leadership. Highlighting significant investments in nuclear power restarts, grid modernization, and critical mineral supply chains, the EDF is driving a national strategy to secure baseload energy, lower consumer costs, and revitalize domestic manufacturing, including a substantial focus on strategic resources and agricultural inputs. This initiative signals a major shift in federal energy policy with profound implications for the mining sector, particularly in uranium, copper, and critical minerals.

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Secretary Wright Applauds End of New Federal Wind and Solar Subsidies
US Gov't

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced the cessation of federal tax credit subsidies for new wind and solar projects not yet under construction, effective July 4, 2026. This policy shift, enacted through the Working Families Tax Cut, concludes over three decades of federal support for these renewable energy technologies, which accounted for approximately three percent of U.S. primary energy consumption in 2025. The decision highlights concerns over land usage, material intensity, transmission infrastructure needs, and the intermittency of wind and solar, signaling a potential redirection in U.S. energy policy with significant implications for the mining sector.

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Energy Secretary Secures Carolinas’ Grid Amid Period of Hot Weather
US Gov't

<p></p> <p>The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an emergency order on July 2, 2026, authorizing Duke Energy to temporarily override environmental regulations and maximize power output from specified units in the Carolinas. This measure, effective until July 6, 2026, aims to stabilize the regional grid and prevent blackouts amidst unusually high temperatures and burgeoning electricity demand. The decision underscores critical debates around energy reliability, the flexibility of regulatory frameworks, and the foundational role of the mining industry in securing essential power infrastructure.</p> <p>

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U.S. Department of Energy Meets President Trump’s Goal, Delivers Third Advanced Reactor Criticality
US Gov't

<p> The U.S. Department of Energy has successfully met President Trump’s executive order, achieving criticality in three advanced microreactors—Deployable Energy’s Unity, Antares Nuclear’s Mark-0, and Valar Atomics’ Ward 250—before the July 4, 2026 deadline. This unprecedented milestone, marking the first time a nation has brought three unique advanced microreactor designs to criticality in a single month, signals a significant rebirth of nuclear energy innovation in the United States and holds profound implications for national energy security and the mining sector's future. </p> <p>

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Energy Secretary Secures Mid-Atlantic Grid Ahead of Period of Hot Weather
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued two emergency orders on June 30, 2026, to stabilize the Mid-Atlantic power grid and avert potential blackouts stemming from anticipated record-breaking peak electricity demand fueled by severe hot weather. These directives, targeting PJM Interconnection, LLC, involve dispatching specific generation units and activating backup resources, highlighting the critical need for grid reliability and resilient energy infrastructure across the nation. For the mining sector, these developments underscore the ongoing pressures on power supply, the imperative for stable energy costs, and the growing demand for raw materials essential for grid modernization and energy security initiatives.

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Energy Department Analysis Finds Proposed International Building Codes Would Cost Americans $9.2 Billion Annually
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released an analysis on June 26, 2026, indicating that nationwide adoption of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) would lead to significant increases in housing construction costs, totaling over $9.2 billion annually. This regulatory shift, described by the DOE as "Green New Scam mandates," could add up to $14,000 to the cost of a new single-family home and presents substantial implications for the construction sector and, by extension, the demand for mined materials. The DOE has urged the International Code Council (ICC) to reconsider these provisions, emphasizing affordability and consumer choice.

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Trump Administration Keeps Coal-Fired Power Generation Alive in Colorado
US Gov't

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order to keep Craig Unit 1, a coal-fired power plant in Colorado, operational through September 26, 2026, citing critical grid reliability concerns. This marks the third such directive, reversing a planned shutdown and highlighting a broader federal effort under the Trump administration to prevent the premature retirement of coal-fired generation across the nation, aimed at ensuring affordable and secure electricity access. The move underscores significant policy shifts impacting the U.S. energy landscape and the domestic thermal coal mining sector.

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DOE Announces Travis Kavulla as Bonneville Power Administration Administrator
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced Travis Kavulla as the new Administrator and CEO of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), effective with his swearing-in on June 29, 2026. This appointment signifies a strategic move to bolster energy infrastructure and grid reliability in the vital Pacific Northwest, a region crucial for various energy-intensive industries, including mining. Kavulla’s extensive experience is expected to further BPA’s mission of delivering affordable, reliable, and secure power, directly impacting operational stability and long-term investment prospects for mineral resource development.

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U.S., Qatar, Nigeria, and Algeria Warn Proposed E.U. Methane Regulations Could Disrupt Europe's Oil and Gas Supply
US Gov't

<p></p> <p>In a rare joint intervention on June 24, 2026, the United States, Qatar, Nigeria, and Algeria issued a stark warning to European Union leaders, indicating that the proposed EU Methane Regulation (EUMR) could severely disrupt Europe's vital oil and natural gas supplies beginning in January 2027. The four nations, acting as Europe's largest energy suppliers, highlighted critical flaws in the regulation's measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) requirements, urging immediate amendments to prevent significant negative supply and price impacts across the continent.</p> <p>

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Department of Energy Announces American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a conditional loan commitment of $17.5 billion through its Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) to revitalize America's commercial nuclear supply chain. This substantial financing aims to accelerate the deployment of 10 new large-scale Westinghouse AP1000® reactors by up to three years, targeting an additional 11 GW of clean electricity and prompting significant implications for the domestic uranium mining sector. The initiative underscores a strategic push for U.S. energy independence and the rebuilding of critical manufacturing capabilities.

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The Department of Energy Applauds FERC’s Action on Large Load Interconnection Reform
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has lauded the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) recent directive, issued on June 18, 2026, compelling the six regional grid operators to reform or justify their interconnection tariffs for data centers and other large energy users. This significant action, initiated at the direction of U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, aims to accelerate the provision of power essential for American innovation, national security, and economic growth, while safeguarding ratepayers against unjust cost shifts. For the mining industry, a major electricity consumer, these reforms promise swifter project development, more predictable operating costs, and enhanced energy reliability crucial for meeting escalating domestic and global mineral demands.

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Trump Administration Keeps Indiana Coal Plants Open to Ensure Grid Reliability and Minimize Electricity Costs
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy has issued emergency orders to keep two critical Indiana coal plants, R.M. Schahfer and F.B. Culley generating stations, operational from June 22, 2026, through September 19, 2026. This directive, following initial orders from December 23, 2025, aims to ensure grid reliability, minimize electricity costs, and prevent blackouts in the Midwest, highlighting persistent concerns over escalating energy demand and the rapid retirement of baseload power generation. The decision underscores a broader Trump Administration effort to preserve coal-fired capacity nationally, impacting energy policy, grid stability, and offering a critical, albeit temporary, lifeline to the coal mining sector.

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Department of Energy Celebrates Second Advanced Reactor Achieving Criticality
US Gov't

The U.S. Department of Energy announced on June 18, 2026, that Valar Atomics' advanced reactor design, Ward 250, successfully achieved zero-power fueled criticality at the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab. This milestone marks the second advanced reactor to go critical under the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program and is notably the first DOE-authorized reactor built outside a national laboratory, signaling accelerating progress in America's nuclear renaissance and bolstering future demand for critical resources like uranium.

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