Trump-Backed Gas Plant Could Become Biggest US Power Polluter

j2os3xb]upv9ppgh4kc)hgia_media_dl_2.png US Environmental Protection AgenArticle content(Bloomberg) — US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a massive gas-fired power plant in Ohio would likely create one of the nation’s largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation. Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentWhile details of the potential $33 billion development are scarce so far, it’s intended to be led by SoftBank Group Corp. and is envisaged as having capacity of 9.2 gigawatts, according to a fact sheet from the US Department of Commerce. Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentThat would make the project the biggest US power plant, according to BloombergNEF data, capable of supplying millions of homes with electricity yet also delivering a significant climate impact. Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentSoftBank declined to comment.

The Commerce Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Article contentAssuming the new plant operated at a capacity factor of 65% and deployed typical combined-cycle gas turbine technology, it would likely emit about 19.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, according to Helen Kou, head of US power analysis at BNEF. A separate Rhodium Group estimate found such a plant might emit 16.2 million tons annually. Article contentThe latter estimate is roughly on par with the emissions produced by 3.8 million gas cars over a year of driving, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. Article contentThe forecasts compare with total emissions from the James H. Miller Jr. coal-fired plant in Alabama of about 16.6 million tons in 2023, according to EPA data.Article contentThe proposed gas plant forms part of Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in the US under a trade agreement struck last year, and extends Trump’s campaign to revive and expand the fossil fuels industry. Trump directed the Pentagon this month to purchase more coal power, while the EPA scrapped a long-standing policy that underpinned rules on regulating greenhouse gas emissions.Article contentArticle contentA coalition of 29 environmental and advocacy groups issued a joint statement Friday pressing Japan not to proceed with investment or financing for fossil-fuel projects in the US.Article contentThough the addition of more gas-fired power could potentially displace coal and act to lower power sector emissions, it’s more likely that electricity generated from the proposed Ohio facility would meet load growth as the expansion of data centers outpaces supply, according to Nathalie Limandibhratha, an analyst at BNEF. Article contentOhio and other nearby states produce and draw power from PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization seeing particularly strong growth in electricity demand. That pressure is keeping some coal generation operating longer than analysts had expected, and has triggered a rush of development of new gas-fired capacity.Article contentUS power generation rose to the highest level in two decades last year as data centers and industry boosted demand, BNEF said in a report published Feb. 18 with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy. Coal and gas accounted for about 56% of US electricity generation, while power sector emissions rose 3.6% in 2025, the report said.Article content—With assistance from Tim Quinson.Article contentTrending Posthaste: U.S. tariffs against Canada keep falling, but is that just the quiet before the CUSMA storm? News These are the TSX stocks that could be winners from Mark Carney's defence industrial strategy Investor Cuba-Bound Tanker Carrying Russian Fuels to Test Trump Blockade PMN Business What you need to know about filing to the CRA this year as tax season looms Personal Finance The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Trump's tariffs. But will Canadian companies get their money back? Economy Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Posthaste: U.S. tariffs against Canada keep falling, but is that just the quiet before the CUSMA storm? News These are the TSX stocks that could be winners from Mark Carney's defence industrial strategy Investor Cuba-Bound Tanker Carrying Russian Fuels to Test Trump Blockade PMN Business What you need to know about filing to the CRA this year as tax season looms Personal Finance The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Trump's tariffs. But will Canadian companies get their money back? Economy