In an era in which “no new taxes” is a sacred cow, the Trump administration is considering other, creative ways to raise the funds it needs to save financially distressed coal and nuclear power plants, at the expense of the public.

This time, the consumer will not be victimized as a taxpayer, but rather as a utility ratepayer. Under orders from President Trump, the Department of Energy is considering immediate steps to stop the shutdown of unprofitable coal and nuclear plants. Under one plan being considered, DOE would order grid operators to buy electricity from struggling power plants for two years, using emergency authority that is normally reserved for national security crises.