Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency on the first day of his new presidency, as part of a barrage of pro-fossil fuel actions and efforts to “unleash” already booming US energy production that included also rolling back restrictions in drilling in Alaska and undoing a pause on gas exports.

The emergency declaration, which made good on a campaign-trail promise but could be open to legal challenge, would allow his administration to fast-track permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure.

It comes amid stated concerns about the power grid struggling to handle a projected surge in demand from data centers. “[The declaration] … means you can do whatever you have to do to get out of that problem and we do have that kind of emergency,” he said as he signed the order at the White House late on Monday.