washington/los angeles/new york president donald trump sign executive order last week sweep away obama-era climate change regulations say would end america war coal usher new era energy production put miners back work big consumers u.s. coal power generate company remain unconvinced reuters survey 32 utilities operations 26 state sue former president barack obama administration block clean power plan main target trump executive order bulk plan alter multi-billion dollar years-long shift away coal suggest demand fuel keep fall despite trump efforts utilities give many reason mainly economic natural gas coal top competitor cheap abundant solar wind power cost fall state environmental laws remain place trump regulatory rollback may survive legal challenge meanwhile big investors align global push fight climate change norwegian sovereign wealth fund pressure u.s. utilities stake cut coal use go build new coal plant today environment say ben fowke ceo xcel energy operate eight state use coal 36 percent electricity production go build new ones eventually any reuters recommendswindow close republican stealth assault regulationsafter australian cyclone coke coal spike china chase u.s. supply 32 utilities contact reuters 20 say trump order would impact investment plan five say review implications order six give response one say would prolong life old coal-fired power units north dakota basin electric power cooperative sole utility identify immediate positive impact trump order outlook coal situation executive order take lot pressure decisions make near term whether retrofit retire old coal plant say dale niezwaag spokesman basin electric trump one-termer reprieve short trump executive order trigger review aim kill clean power plan obama-era law would require state 2030 collectively cut carbon emissions exist power plant 30 percent 2005 level design primary strategy u.s. efforts fight global climate change u.s. coal industry without increase domestic demand would need rely export market growth shipments u.s. metallurgical coal use production steel recently show china follow two-year hiatus part offset ban shipments north korea temporary delay cyclone-hit australian producers coal primary fuel source u.s. power plant last century use fall third since 2008 advancements drill technology unlock new reserve natural gas hundreds age coal-fired power plant retire retrofit huge coal mine company like peabody energy corp arch coal fell bankruptcy production last year hit low point since 1978. slide appear likely continue u.s. power company expect retire convert 8,000 megawatts coal-fired plant 2017 shut almost 13,000 mw last year accord u.s. energy information administration thomson reuters data luke popovich spokesman national mine association acknowledge trump efforts would return coal industry glory days offer hope may immediate plan utilities bring coal future always uncertain market say many company reuters survey say focus reduce carbon emissions decade hesitant change direction base shift political wind washington d.c. utility plan typically take place much long periods presidential term office berkshire hathaway inc-owned pacificorp spokesman tom gauntt say several utilities also cite fall cost wind solar power often cheap coal natural gas thank part government subsidies renewable energy meantime activist investors increase pressure u.s. utilities shun coal last year norway sovereign wealth fund world large exclude dozen u.s. power company include xcel american electric power co inc nrg energy inc investments reliance coal-fired power another eight company include southern co northwestern corp observation fund wyoming-based coal miner cloud peak energy say blame utilities lukewarm trump order `` eight years utility run coal get hell kick `` say richard reavey spokesman company `` go turn around tomorrow say 'let 's buy lot coal plant pretty unlikely `` trump declare end 'war coal utilities n't listen