AI datacenters in the US aren't 'running on coal' — but this dirty fuel has found favor for feeding demand spikes due to increased gas prices

As U.S. datacenters expand to support AI infrastructure, coal-fired electricity use is rising due to high power demands and gas price increases, notes The Register. Coal is primarily used to stabilize the power grid, not directly power tech giants. Nuclear plants provide steady power for AI training runs, while coal and renewables help manage fluctuations. During inference, when sudden power spikes occur from user requests, the grid relies on flexible sources like fossil fuels to handle the demand.