Tag: Hancock County

$760 Million Battery Plant, 750 Jobs Coming To Weirton

Gov. Jim Justice announced today that Form Energy will partner with the State of West Virginia to build its first iron-air battery manufacturing facility in the city of Weirton.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Story updated on Dec. 22, 2022 at 2:40 p.m.

Gov. Jim Justice announced today that Form Energy, out of Massachusetts, will partner with the State of West Virginia to build its first iron-air battery manufacturing facility. The plant will be built on 55 acres of property in the northern panhandle of West Virginia, along the Ohio River, in the city of Weirton.

Justice said the fully non-carbonized plant is guaranteed to create a minimum of 750 new full-time jobs and will represent a total investment of up to $760 million.

“The funds put toward this project are guaranteed, secured, and collateralized through ownership of all land and buildings by the state. The West Virginia Economic Development Authority allocated $75 million toward the purchase of land and the construction of buildings in Weirton this morning,” Justice said in a press release. “I plan on working with the West Virginia Legislature and our federal partners to obtain an additional $215 million needed to finalize our agreement.”

The release notes that Form Energy is an American energy storage technology and manufacturing company that is developing and commercializing an iron-air battery capable of storing electricity for 100 hours at system costs competitive with legacy power plants. The company’s pioneering multi-day battery will reshape the electric system to reliably run on 100 percent low-cost, non-carbon, renewable energy, every day of the year.

Mateo Jaramillo, co-founder and CEO of Form Energy told those gathered at the West Virginia Culture Center for the announcement that Weirton was the ideal site for the company’s first U.S. plant.

“After a year-long nationwide site selection process that started with identifying over 500 candidate locations across 16 states, it became abundantly clear that Weirton, West Virginia – a historic steel community that sits on a river and has the rich heritage and know-how to make great things out of iron – is the ideal location for our first commercial battery production factory,” Jaramillo said. “We look forward to working with Weirton community leaders in the coming months to determine how we can best support the needs of local residents in the area through lasting community partnership and engagement.”

Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, offered some heartfelt comments about his hometown.

“I grew up in downtown Weirton, less than half a mile from the site where this facility is going to be. All of my grandfathers worked at Weirton Steel. An announcement like today’s is something that is very personal to me,” Weld said. “This is an enormous day on a path to rebuilding downtown Weirton, a path to being what was the crown jewel of manufacturing in the state of West Virginia.”

Justice said West Virginia must always support its coal and gas, natural resources industries. But he said the state is moving to the forefront of energy diversity.

“Today is further testimony to us moving into a into an economy to where we’re diversified even more,” Justice said. “We want goodness across the board. We want West Virginia to be known forevermore as that energy state that always figured it out.”

Form Energy expects to start construction of its Weirton factory in 2023 and begin manufacturing iron-air battery systems in 2024 for broad commercialization.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., added to the expectation of more such facilities and jobs to come.

“Once again, West Virginia has won a highly competitive process to bring new jobs and opportunities to the Mountain State,” Capito said. “Today’s announcement was truly a collaborative effort, and I want to congratulate Governor Justice, Secretary Carmichael, and the leadership of the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates in working together to bring Form Energy to our Northern Panhandle. If West Virginia is going to continue to be an energy state, we must embrace new technologies, but also tell our story on a national and global level. I look forward to working with the visionary leadership of Form Energy as they ramp up their production in West Virginia, and look forward to more positive developments for our home state in the future.”

August 1, 1918: Industrialist Ernest Weir Renames His Company Weirton Steel

On August 1, 1918, industrialist Ernest Weir renamed his company Weirton Steel. He’d founded the company with J. A. Phillips in Clarksburg in 1905 as Phillips Sheet & Tin Plate. After Phillips’ death, Weir moved his company from Clarksburg to a southern Hancock County farm that would become the city of Weirton.

As part of the massive National Steel conglomeration, Weirton Steel became our state’s largest employer and taxpayer, and the world’s largest tin-plate producer. The city’s population exploded from virtually nothing to 8,000 in 1920 and 18,000 in 1940. During World War II, the company produced howitzer shells and other munitions and contributed to the atom bomb project. The company continued to grow after the war but suffered from foreign competition in the late 20th century.

In 1984, Weirton steelworkers purchased the plant in an innovative employee-ownership plan, or ESOP. The rest of the ‘80s were profitable, but business fell off dramatically in the ‘90s. In 2003, Weirton Steel, entered into bankruptcy. Since that time, the company has been sold twice and is now owned by ArcelorMittal. Employment at ArcelorMittal Weirton continued to decline. By 2010, the company ranked as the 67th largest private employer with about 1,000 workers.

Still, ArcelorMittal Weirton remained the world’s largest tin plate producer, despite having no hot metal operations. The extant parts of the mill receive coils from ArcelorMittal’s other American operation and clean and coat them.

Parts of the former steel giant, including the open hearth, blooming mill, quality control lab, and research and development structures, have been razed. A site on Weirton Heights was cleared to make way for a new Wal-Mart, a company which now holds the distinction of being West Virginia’s largest private employer.

April 30, 1774: Family of Chief Logan Slaughtered in Hancock County

On April 30, 1774, one of the worst atrocities of the frontier era occurred in present-day Hancock County. A band of frontiersmen led by Daniel Greathouse slaughtered a group of Indians, including the family of Logan. Logan was chief of the Mingo Indians, a multi-tribal confederation allied to the Six Nations. During the four years he’d lived in the area, he had consistently tried to maintain peace.

After the murder of his family, though, Logan went on the warpath. He led raids throughout the upper Ohio Valley and into the Monongahela Valley. Shawnee and Delaware tribes then attacked settlements along the Ohio River. The summer of 1774 was one of the bloodiest on record in western Virginia.

In response to the violence, Virginia Governor Lord Dunmore launched a two-pronged assault. Dunmore’s War came to a head at the Battle of Point Pleasant, where, that October, Virginia militia defeated Shawnee warriors.

Logan skipped the subsequent peace negotiations but delivered to John Gibson a famous speech that was later quoted by Thomas Jefferson. In it, Logan grieved for his family and asked poignant, lingering questions about the treatment of Indians. 

Hancock County Businesses Eligible for Disaster Loans

Small businesses in Hancock County are eligible for disaster loans as a result of drought conditions last year.

The U.S. Small Business Administration said Hancock County is eligible because it’s contiguous to one or more primary counties in Pennsylvania.

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a result of the drought between May 1 and Dec. 10. Other than aquaculture enterprises, SBA can’t provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers or ranchers. Nurseries are eligible to apply.

The loan amount can be up to $2 million.

Loan applications can be downloaded at http://www.sba.gov/disaster , or apply online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela . The deadline is Dec. 5.

For more information, call the SBA at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Former CEO to Market Racetrack and Casino Property

The former CEO of Mountaineer Racetrack & Casino is in charge of marketing the company’s surplus property in northern Hancock County.

The State Journal reports Ted Arneault will make about 1,300 acres of properties available for commercial and industrial development.

Arneault, who also served as the company’s chairman, says he’ll work with local municipalities Hancock County, state officials and private investors to bring business and industry to the area.

He says he believes energy, natural resource treatment and refinement, transportation and storage are resources for Hancock County markets.

Arneault added he has already been contacted by companies interested in the area, particularly by those servicing or supplying the natural gas processing industry.

Health Officials Investigate Whooping Cough Case in Weirton

Hancock County health officials are investigating a whooping cough case involving a student at Weirton Elementary School.

County health department nursing supervisor Michelle Trunax tells WTOV-TV that another student is being tested for the disease, which also is known as pertussis.

Parents of other students are being notified about the possible risk of exposure. Trunax says parents are being advised to watch for signs of infection.

The disease is typically marked by a severe cough that is often followed by a deep breath that sounds like “whoop.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says early symptoms resemble a cold, and infected people are most contagious up to about two weeks after the cough begins.

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