On this West Virginia Morning, Sue and Stan Jennings for 30 years have run Allegheny Treenware, a company that makes wooden kitchen utensils. But they started off as a couple of coal miners. Folkways Reporter Capri Cafaro has more.
In both lawsuits, Appalachian Power alleges that ACNR failed to deliver more than one million tons of coal to three power plants in West Virginia in 2021 and 2022.
The John Amos, Mountaineer and Mitchell plants were idled for prolonged periods late last year amid the shortfall. Some of the outages were for routine maintenance and repair, the company testified.
Without the plants running, Appalachian Power had to purchase electricity from the PJM market to meet customer needs, but at high prices. PJM is a regional electricity market that includes West Virginia and 12 other states. Coal and natural gas prices have been high since last year.
Residents, local governments and industrial users have uniformly opposed the proposal. The average residential user would pay $18 more a month if the PSC approves the request.
On Tuesday, 17 members of Charleston’s City Council filed a letter with the PSC in opposition.
The New York lawsuit doesn’t specify a damage amount. It says the coal supply problems have persisted into 2022.
On this West Virginia Morning, uncertainty about the future amidst a changing climate has given rise in recent years to a phenomenon known as "climate anxiety." Ahead of Earth Day Monday, Chris Schulz spoke with Amy Parsons-White, sustainability manager for Marshall University, to discuss this mental health issue and potential solutions.
Recycling is a major component of sustainability - and composting highlights recycling at the organic level. At Marshall University, West Virginia’s first commercial composting facility is spinning its wheels.