What This Means for You
- A new public-private AI consortium aims to accelerate energy, science and national security research.
- $175 million will go to upgrade aging coal plants to extend their operating life.
- Puerto Rico’s grid will continue operating under emergency orders through May 11 as hurricane season approaches.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy this past week announced a series of initiatives spanning artificial intelligence research, domestic aluminum production, grid reliability in Puerto Rico and upgrades to coal-fired power plants, marking a broad push to bolster energy infrastructure and manufacturing capacity.
Genesis Mission and AI Consortium
On February 9, the department launched the Genesis Mission Consortium, a public-private partnership designed to accelerate scientific discovery using artificial intelligence.
The consortium will bring together DOE, its National Laboratories, private companies and universities to collaborate on AI model development, data standards, high-performance computing and automation. It will be administered by TechWerx, a DOE partnership intermediary operated by RTI International.
The effort builds on executive actions establishing the Genesis Mission, which seeks to apply AI tools across energy, science and national security research. More information is available at www.genesismissionconsortium.org.
On February 12, DOE also announced 26 national science and technology challenges under the Genesis Mission, including improving power grid planning using AI, digitizing decades of nuclear research data, automating laboratories to accelerate drug and materials discovery, and advancing next-generation microelectronics manufacturing.
Aluminum Smelter Investment
On February 10, Energy Secretary Chris Wright joined Century Aluminum executives to highlight progress on a new primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma.
DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations awarded $500 million in 2025 to support construction of the facility, which would be the first new primary aluminum smelter built in the United States since 1980. Once operational, the plant could produce more than 500,000 tons of primary aluminum annually, including high-purity aluminum used in defense applications.
Federal data cited by the department show that in 2024 the United States imported 5.46 million metric tons of aluminum and exported 3 million metric tons, resulting in net imports of 2.46 million metric tons. Currently, four primary smelters operate domestically, producing 683,500 metric tons annually.
Puerto Rico Grid Emergency Orders
DOE renewed two emergency orders on February 10 to support Puerto Rico’s electric grid through May 11, 2026.
Issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the orders allow the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to operate certain generation units under specified conditions and accelerate vegetation management along high-voltage transmission lines. Section 202(c) permits the federal government to require temporary generation or transmission actions during emergencies affecting electric reliability.
According to DOE, emergency measures since 2025 have helped restore up to 820 megawatts of baseload capacity, increasing total systemwide generation capacity to 6,460 megawatts as the island prepares for hurricane season and rising demand.
Coal Plant Modernization Funding
On February 11, DOE announced $175 million for six projects to modernize coal-fired power plants serving rural and remote communities.
The funding is part of a broader $525 million initiative aimed at upgrading existing plants to improve efficiency and extend their operating life. Projects will take place in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and Kentucky, among other locations.
Recipients include Appalachian Power Company, Buckeye Power Inc., Duke Energy Carolinas LLC, Kentucky Utilities Corporation, Monongahela Power Company and Ohio Valley Electric Corporation.
DOE said the upgrades are intended to increase capacity factors, enhance grid reliability and preserve jobs in energy-producing regions.
Broader Energy Strategy
Across the announcements, DOE emphasized strengthening domestic manufacturing, expanding AI-driven research and maintaining reliable electricity generation amid rising demand.
The department stated that these initiatives are aligned with executive directives focused on grid reliability, industrial capacity and the application of artificial intelligence to accelerate innovation in energy and national security sectors.
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