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

AI datacenters are driving up U.S. power demand and boosting coal generation by nearly 20%, but while nuclear plants supply the steady output needed for long training runs, coal and renewables mainly serve to stabilize the grid and absorb the sharp, unpredictable power spikes from AI workloads.