Tag: Solar

Nicholas County Solar Project Receives $129 Million Federal Grant

The Nicholas County Solar Project will generate 250 megawatts of electricity on two former coal mines.

A southern West Virginia solar project received a big grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Nicholas County Solar Project will generate 250 megawatts of electricity on two former coal mines.

It will receive the largest federal cost share – $129 million – out of five demonstration projects nationwide on current or former mine property. 

It is projected to create 400 construction jobs and four operations jobs as well as $18.5 million in property taxes.

The solar facility will be built by Savion, a Kansas City, Missouri, company that’s part of Shell.

Just across the border in Martin County, Kentucky, Savion is building a 200 megawatt solar facility on a former coal mine. Half its power will go to Toyota.

The Energy Department also announced Thursday an $81 million grant for a pumped storage power project in Bell County, Kentucky.

The largest solar facility currently in West Virginia is Mon Power’s Fort Martin site, which began operating in January and generates 19 megawatts.

One megawatt can power roughly 750 homes at one time.

Pumped Storage Power Project Could Be Coming To Northern W.Va.

Rye Development, of Portland, Oregon, on Thursday announced a $1.3 billion investment in a pumped storage power generation facility in Bell County, Kentucky.

An energy company that’s making a big investment in southeast Kentucky also has its sights set on northern West Virginia.

Rye Development, of Portland, Oregon, on Thursday announced a $1.3 billion investment in a pumped storage power generation facility in Bell County, Kentucky.

The same company has also applied for a preliminary permit with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to study locating a similar facility in Hardy and Grant counties.

The proposed Cabin Run Pumped Storage project could generate up to 230 megawatts of electricity. For comparison, the largest solar facility in West Virginia generates 19 megawatts.

It works by taking electricity during off-peak hours to pump water into a reservoir. During the hours of peak demand, the water is released, generating hydroelectric power.

The U.S. Department of Energy is kicking in an $81 million grant for the Kentucky project.

Rye Development’s permit application is currently pending before the commission.

Mon Power Building 2nd Solar Facility In State In Marion County

Jim Myers, president of Mon Power parent FirstEnergy’s West Virginia operations, said the property is a former coal ash disposal site.

Mon Power has started construction on its second solar facility in the state.

The company will build a 5.5 megawatt solar farm on 27 acres in Marion County near a coal-burning power plant that closed in 2012.

Jim Myers, president of Mon Power parent FirstEnergy’s West Virginia operations, said the property is a former coal ash disposal site.

“We believe the energy generated by our West Virginia solar sites will continue to encourage economic development in the state because a growing number of companies require a portion of the electricity they purchase to be generated by renewable sources,” he said.

In January, Mon Power activated its first solar facility in West Virginia in Monongalia County. It generates 19 megawatts on about 80 acres near two active coal plants.

The Marion County site, and another in Berkeley County, are expected to start operating by the end of the year.

Mon Power and Potomac Edison are seeking Public Service Commission approval to begin construction on two more solar facilities, one in Tucker County and one in Hancock County.

Together, the solar sites represent a small but growing renewable energy sector in the state.

Lawmakers Enable Bigger Solar Projects, Eliminate Sunset Provision

House Bill 5528 updates that law to allow for 100 megawatt projects and eliminates the sunset clause.

A prior state law capped the size of renewable power projects at 50 megawatts and included a provision to sunset the program next year.

House Bill 5528 updates that law to allow for 100 megawatt projects and eliminates the sunset clause.

Sen. Glenn Jeffries, R-Putnam, explained that the bill helps attract more businesses that want to come to the state if they can receive solar power.

“And there’s a number of companies here in West Virginia and other companies that have interest in West Virginia that would like to have solar as part of their business model,” Jeffries said.

Nucor, the steelmaker that’s building a new plant in Mason County, is one such example. By the time it begins production, it will receive at least 20 percent of its power from solar.

The House of Delegates approved the bill last month, 61 to 36. The Senate approved it Thursday, 32 to 1. It now goes to the governor.

The largest solar installation in the state was activated in January in Monongalia County. Mon Power’s Fort Martin solar generates 19 megawatts.

Mon Power expects to complete two more solar sites this year and seek approval from state regulators for two more to be constructed next year.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission has approved a siting certificate for a Kansas company to build a solar farm in Mason County.

Mon Power, Consumer Groups Settle Solar Net Metering Case

The sides settled on a compromise of roughly 9 cents a kilowatt hour. The new credit takes effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Mon Power has settled a case with consumer groups that will affect households that have rooftop solar panels.

Existing customers receive a retail rate of 11 to 13 cents per kilowatt hour for the power their solar panels send back to the grid, a process known as net energy metering.

Mon Power and Potomac Edison proposed to cut that credit in half to 6.6 cents per kilowatt hour, the wholesale price.

The sides settled on a compromise of roughly 9 cents a kilowatt hour. The new credit takes effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Existing customers will still receive the higher credit for 25 years.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) must still approve the settlement.

A bill moving through the House of Delegates would protect the higher net metering credit.

The parties to the settlement include the PSC, the West Virginia Consumer Advocate Division, Citizen Action Group, Solar United Neighbors, Energy Efficient West Virginia and Solar Holler.

“While we continue to believe that the retail rate is fairest for residential solar customers to receive as a credit, we think that this is a fair settlement in the context of this case,” said Leah Barbour, state director for Solar United Neighbors. “There are some important protections for current customers and clear guidelines to ensure solar will continue to work going forward.”

Mon Power serves 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Potomac Edison serves 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle.

The Road To A Second Chance On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, a criminal record can follow a person forever – and keep them from job and housing opportunities. More than a quarter of West Virginia adults have a criminal record, even for cases with no conviction or jail time. In the latest episode of Us & Them with host Trey Kay, we look at the road toward a second chance. In this excerpt, Kay talks with 37-year-old Amber Blankenship who hopes to expunge her record.

On this West Virginia Morning, a criminal record can follow a person forever – and keep them from job and housing opportunities. More than a quarter of West Virginia adults have a criminal record, even for cases with no conviction or jail time. In the latest episode of Us & Them with host Trey Kay, we look at the road toward a second chance. In this excerpt, Kay talks with 37-year-old Amber Blankenship who hopes to expunge her record.

Listen to the latest Us & Them episode “Expungement — Between Hope and Danger” on West Virginia Public Broadcasting Thursday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. or on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. Or listen to this episode now at wvpublic.org.

Also, in this show, new companies and new jobs are coming to West Virginia. And with those jobs comes the need for workforce development and new sources of energy. On our latest episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate spoke with Bill Bissett, the president of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association, and Dan Conant, founder and CEO of Solar Holler, about these issues.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.

Eric Douglas produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

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