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CHARLESTON, WV – The Public Service Commission has approved Appalachian Power Company and Wheeling Power Company’s request to keep the Amos, Mountaineer, and Mitchell plants operational until at least 2040.
Today’s Order will not immediately affect the power bills of West Virginia customers. The original Order in this case resulted in a rate increase that would add approximately $2.64 per month to the current bill of a residential customer who uses 1,000 kWh per month. Any additional amount that results from today’s Order will require the companies a further proceeding to recover the costs of implementing the upgrades.
The Order points out that benefits of the plants’ continued operation to the state’s economy are considerable. Direct employment at the plants; use of West Virginia coal; state, county and local taxes related to operating generation plants; and related employment in businesses supporting the plants and the coal industry cannot be discounted or overlooked. The Commission also considered the reliability of fuel secure base load generation capacity in making its decision.
Today’s Order is the result of Virginia and Kentucky refusing to approve the Coal Combustion Residue and Effluent Limitation Guideline upgrades required for the plants’ continued operation. The Commission determined that if those two states will not share the cost of the upgrades, they will not be permitted to use the capacity and energy produced by the plants.
For more information, go to the PSC website at www.psc.state.wv.us and refer to Case No. 20-1040-E-CN.
CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — On this week’s episode on Inside West Virginia Politics, host Mark Curtis and guests discuss a variety of topics important to the Mountain State, including the possibility of extending three West Virginia coal-fired power plants until 2040, National Recovery Month, and the support of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.
Charleston, W.Va. – Chris Hamilton, president and chief executive officer of the West Virginia Coal Association offers the following statement regarding the mining industry’s position on the West Virginia Public Service Commission’s hearing today to extend the lifespan of three American Electric Power coal-fired power plants.
“West Virginia’s mining industry fully supports the West Virginia Public Service Commission’s (WV PSC) August 14th decision that unconditionally approved AEP’s request to comply with federally mandated environmental requirements at the John Amos, Mountaineer and Mitchell coal-fired power plants and we fully support AEP’s request for full cost recovery.
West Virginia’s Public Service Commission (WV PSC) announced Wednesday evening that they have given the go-ahead for improvements that could extend the operational lives of three coal-fired power plants in the state — John Amos, Mountaineer and Mitchell.
This is tremendous news for West Virginia’s state and local economies and a big win for our coal industry!
In the ruling, the WV PSC stated:
“Based on the extensive record before us, we find that the upgrades at all three power Plants are prudent, cost effective, and in the best interest of the current and future utility customers, the State’s economy, and the interests of the Companies,” commissioners wrote.
Seeking realistic reductions in carbon emissions is a noteworthy cause and is shared by many state students, residents and businesses.
To the surprise of some, the coal industry is part of this movement and, together with our in-state electric utilities, have made substantial gains over time and reductions that have placed our energy assets among the best in the world.
During recent times, much of airborne contaminants have been eliminated, while the amount of coal used to manufacture electricity for a household has tripled. This is a phenomenal and noteworthy achievement.
Innovate. Don’t eliminate.
That’s the commonsense position Senator Manchin takes when environmental extremists say we should do away with fossil fuels, and coal mining specifically.
What may be surprising is the coal industry and our utilities have been working to decrease emissions from our operations through innovation for decades.
In fact, over 90% of all airborne contaminants have been eliminated, while the amount of coal used to manufacture electricity has tripled.
This is a phenomenal and noteworthy record!
Unfortunately, industry detractors call for the immediate elimination of coal usage. They deny any benefit to the approximately fourteen billion dollars in economic impact our industries provide to West Virginia and the workers we employ.
They also deny the critical importance of fossil energy to assuring uninterrupted power, grid stability, and overall energy security.
They choose to eliminate, not innovate.
West Virginia is demonstrating it’s possible to have a world class energy sector that provides jobs while being a model for employing carbon-reduction technologies.
A message from the Friends of Coal.
WV Coal Association
:60-Second Radio Spot
Many hold up California and New York as shining examples of the clean energy movement.
But West Virginia, with all its fossil energy commerce and thousands of energy workers, ranks nearly four times better than California and two times better than New York in overall carbon output.
“California Dreamin” takes on new meaning when confronted with the facts!
West Virginia’s coal industry and electric utilities have been working to decrease emissions for decades.
In fact, over 90% of all airborne contaminants have been eliminated, while the amount of coal used to manufacture electricity has tripled.
This is a phenomenal and noteworthy record!
Unfortunately, industry detractors call for the immediate elimination of coal usage. They deny any benefit to the fourteen billion dollars in economic impact our industries provide and the workers we employ.
They also deny the critical importance of fossil energy to assuring uninterrupted power, grid stability, and energy security.
West Virginia is demonstrating we can have a world class energy sector that provides jobs, while being a model for employing carbon reduction technologies.
A message from the Friends of Coal.
Charleston, W.Va. - - The West Virginia Coal Hall of Fame, a joint initiative between the West Virginia Coal Mining Institute and the West Virginia Coal Association and housed at the WVU Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources in Morgantown, inducted its newest class of honorees at a ceremony Tuesday evening, June 22, at the Marriott at Waterfront Place in Morgantown.
Charleston, W.VA. ─ The West Virginia Coal Association is joining together with the West Virginia Coal Mining Institute to sponsor a special summer program for mining professionals on June 22-23, at the Marriott at Waterfront Place in Morgantown.
The program is intended for mining professionals to learn about developing technologies, mine safety and environmental programs and emerging threats and challenges facing the industry. United States Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito will join with West Virginia’s First Congressional Representative David McKinley and State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to headline the program. A variety of technical presentations are also slated for the two-day program.
Calling on all Friends of Coal to “Stand Up and Be Counted”— Let our voices be heard!
As previously announced, the West Virginia Coal Association filed a petition to intervene in a case brought by American Electric Power (AEP) before the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) that is centered around the Mitchell Power Plant is Marshall County, West Virginia.
The issue is whether the Mitchell Plant should close twelve years ahead of schedule. If approved, this decision will prematurely eliminate hundreds of coal mining and plant worker jobs and tens of millions of dollars of economic activity that supports Northern West Virginia communities.