Gov. Morrisey announces multi-billion dollar investment in West Virginia power plants

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Thursday a $24 billion investment by Appalachian Power into natural gas and coal-fired power plants throughout the state. 

Appalachian Power, which serves most of the state south of Sutton and parts of the Northern Panhandle, will invest $17 billion into new natural gas generation, generating 3.3 gigawatts — enough to power 2.4 million homes for a year. 

The project is expected to create a little more than 2,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs. It will be completed in 2031. Morrisey said in a video announcement that there are three plans for projects that will be “geographically dispersed” across the state. 

Location and further details will be forthcoming, he said. 

Additionally, Appalachia Power will be investing $7.5 billion into its coal plants to keep them operational until 2050. The company currently owns three coal-fired plants in the state: John Amos in Winfield, Mountaineer in New Haven and Mitchell in Moundsville. 

The projects will “increase energy supply to lower costs,” Morrisey said. 

The governor said the projects will not be paid for by customers. 

“Power bills will not go up; they must not go up because of these new additions,” Morrisey said. “And we’ve been assured that they will not. And I will look to enforce that any way I can.” 

Emmett Pepper, policy director of Energy Efficient West Virginia, a consumer advocacy group focused on electricity billing, said he wants to see more details. 

“First Energy has a proposal for a gas plant. It’s not good for the rate payers,” he said. 

That proposal, in Monongalia County, is for a $2.5 billion gas plant that residents say will result in higher power bills.