Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, left, shakes hands with EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler after Wheeler signed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule at the Environmental Protection Agency, Wednesday, June 19, 2019, in Washington. (Photo: AP)

The Trump administration expects new coal-fired power plants to open as a result of a major new regulatory change.

Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler says he expects that increase in coal plants as a result of the repeal of the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. Wheeler spoke to reporters after signing the final version of the repeal.

The Obama-era plan sought to fight climate change by prodding coal-fired power plants out of the nation’s electrical grid.

Wheeler says the administration’s repeal will lead investors to put money into more coal plants.

US coal-plant closings have reached near record numbers in recent years owing to competition from cheaper natural gas and renewable energy.