Five years after energy analysts called it a "house of cards" built on a dying industry, Navajo Transitional Energy Co. is advancing major coal projects across Wyoming and Montana that could extend operations well into the next decade.
The Bureau of Land Management recently announced it is "advancing a key coal project in Wyoming's Powder River Basin that could unlock access to more than 440 million tons of federal coal."
The West Antelope III lease-by-application covers about 3,500 acres adjacent to NTEC's existing Antelope Mine in Campbell and Converse counties, the third-largest open-pit coal mine in the United States.
"The additional reserves increase Antelope Mine's total tons available for extraction," Lauren Burgess, NTEC spokesperson, told Cowboy State Daily in response to questions about the expansion's impact.
The mine, which produced about 15 million tons in 2024, supplies coal to power companies nationwide, said Burgess. The operation employs more than 350 workers in Wyoming and surrounding areas, with wages that "tend to be some of the highest in the region."
This latest development comes as NTEC also pursues expansion at its Spring Creek Mine in Montana, where the company has proposed leasing about 180 million tons of coal that would extend operations through 2034.
Fortunes Reversed?
NTEC is a unique enterprise.
It was established by the Navajo Nation to exercise sovereignty over the tribe's natural resources, and has since grown to become a major player with a portfolio of energy generation and helium assets.
In Montana and Wyoming, it's focused on mining coal.
The current momentum behind NTEC's coal production marks a stark reversal from early 2020, when the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) warned that NTEC had "bought into a house of cards" after acquiring three struggling coal mines in the Powder River Basin from Cloud Peak Energy’s bankruptcy.
The deal also included the Cordero Rojo mine, also in the PRB.
"Rather than diversifying, NTEC has doubled down on coal," IEEFA analysts Karl Cates and Seth Feaster wrote in January 2020, noting that the company's foundation — the Navajo Mine that supplies the Four Corners power plant — would be gone in less than 10 years as Arizona Public Service planned to shut down the facility by 2031.
The critics pointed to a cascade of coal plant closures across the Southwest and warned that NTEC's 2019 acquisition of the Montana-Wyoming mines appeared "as tenuous as ever, mired in uncertainty" over cleanup bonding, tax payments and mining permits.
Enter Trump
The turnaround coincides with strong federal backing under the Trump administration.
Acting BLM High Plains District Manager Todd Yeager announced the agency will hold a public hearing Sept. 3 in Wright to discuss the West Antelope III project's fair market value and maximum economic recovery.
"This action aligns with the Trump administration's commitment to unleashing America's energy potential, reinvigorating the coal industry, and creating high-paying jobs in energy-producing communities," the BLM stated in its announcement.
According to the Federal Register notice, the application filed by Antelope contains about 300 million tons of in-place federal coal, while the BLM states the project "could unlock access to more than 440 million tons of federal coal."
Industry Context
NTEC's apparent resurgence comes amid mixed signals for Wyoming's coal sector.
According to the University of Wyoming's August 2025 CREW Report, preliminary production data for the second quarter of 2025 shows a 14.5% increase year-over-year, with June 2025 production up 7.2% compared to the previous year.
The CREW Report notes that "Powder River Basin coal spot price remains at the same level as recent months of $14.30 per short ton but is up 5.4% YoY as of June 2025."
These production increases have brought Wyoming coal "back on pace” with the January 2025 estimate of 185 million short tons for 2025.
However, the longer-term outlook remains uncertain. The same CREW Report that documents recent production gains also acknowledges the industry's structural challenges as utilities continue transitioning to natural gas and renewable energy sources.
Beyond Wyoming
NTEC's expansion efforts extend beyond the Antelope Mine. At the Spring Creek Mine in Montana, the company has proposed a 150-acre lease modification with about 6.9 million tons of coal and a 1,262-acre lease-by-application containing approximately 170 million tons.
The company also recently celebrated what it called a historic milestone at its Navajo Mine in New Mexico.
NTEC announced this month the return of 2,211 acres of reclaimed land to the Navajo Nation — marking the first time any mining company has fully reclaimed coal mine land for release back to the tribe.
"NTEC is honored to return this land to the Navajo Nation and its people," said CEO Vern K. Lund at the ceremony attended by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren. "We believe in doing what is right and creating multi-generational solutions."
Skeptics Remain
Despite the recent federal approvals and production increases, the fundamental concerns raised by critics in 2020 haven't entirely disappeared.
The Four Corners plant that anchors NTEC's original Navajo Mine still faces closure, though the timeline has become less certain amid changing energy politics.
Back in 2020, IEEFA warned that competitors like Peabody Energy and Arch Coal were expecting losses, with Moody's projecting that coal's share of U.S. power generation could drop to as low as 8% by 2030, compared to over 40% just ten years earlier.
Those predictions haven't fully materialized — at least not yet. Coal still generated approximately 51.3% of Wyoming's electricity in April 2025, according to the CREW Report, though that's down from historical levels above 60%.
"This coal leasing effort directly supports the Trump administration's goals of reinvigorating the American coal industry, reducing reliance on foreign energy, and creating good-paying jobs in rural communities," the BLM stated regarding the Spring Creek expansion.
The Sept. 3 public hearing for the West Antelope III project will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Wright Town Hall, 395 Lariat Way.
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
