WASHINGTON – Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both R-ND, issued statements after President Donald Trump released a $700 million plan to support the nation’s coal producers, including $27 million to modernize Basin Electric Cooperative’s Antelope Station, improving efficiency and increasing generation capacity.

“Today’s announcement, which includes $27 million for upgrades at Antelope Station in North Dakota, is a welcome step to support the continued resiliency of our coal producers and ensure their facilities and infrastructure can meet the growing demands on our grid,” Hoeven said. “This aligns with our Crack the Code 2.0 initiative, where we are working to double the life of our coal plants while also doubling oil recovery in the Bakken. Through efforts like these, combined with the regulatory relief we’ve advanced for our energy industry, we are working to make the U.S. truly energy dominant.”

“For more than 20 years, federal and state policies prioritized unreliable, intermittent energy generation resulting in higher electricity bills and distribution grids pushed to the breaking point,” Cramer said. “President Trump recognized the danger posed by decades of neglect and declared an energy emergency shortly after he was sworn in. The president is focused on lower energy bills and more affordable and reliable sources of electricity as he leads us to the front of the AI race.”