SHINNSTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – FirstEnergy is proposing new power generation projects in West Virginia that company officials say could create thousands of jobs and support long-term economic growth in the state.
The plans, announced Nov. 6 at Harrison Power Station, include a 1,200-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas plant and 70 megawatts of utility-scale solar.
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FirstEnergy Board Chair, President and CEO Brian X. Tierney said the construction phase of the gas plant alone is expected to create more than 3,260 jobs and generate about $68 million in state and local tax revenue.
“This planned generation is a promise – a promise to keep energy costs manageable, to ensure reliability during peak demand and to support local investment and job creation,” Tierney said at the event, which included Gov. Patrick Morrisey and more than 50 officials, business leaders and employees.
“It’s a promise to West Virginia families, workers and industries that FirstEnergy is here for the long haul.”
FirstEnergy subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison plan to submit proposals to the West Virginia Public Service Commission in early 2026.
The companies will either partner with another firm to build and transfer the new plant or build it independently. A location for the facility has not yet been selected.
According to a study from the West Virginia University Bureau of Business and Economic Research, ongoing operations at the gas plant would support nearly 2,200 direct and indirect jobs and generate about $85.9 million each year in state and local taxes.
The facility is expected to include several dozen permanent technical positions, along with hundreds of jobs supported by natural gas production and related industries.
Tierney said the new power generation would work alongside existing facilities, including Harrison Power Station and Ft. Martin Power Station, to maintain reliable service.
“It will be designed to work in concert with our existing energy infrastructure, including the Harrison Power Station and Ft. Martin Power Station, supporting a balanced and reliable energy mix that leverages all of West Virginia’s abundant resources to power all of the state’s generation,” he said.
The company also said the added power capacity could help attract new industries to the state, including data centers and advanced manufacturing operations.
“We want developers and decision-makers to see that West Virginia isn’t just adjacent to opportunity, it is the opportunity,” Tierney said.
“With this investment, we’re laying the groundwork for data centers, advanced manufacturers and other innovative businesses to choose West Virginia as the place to grow, invest and thrive.”
Along with the proposed gas and solar projects, FirstEnergy is currently upgrading transmission lines, modernizing local distribution equipment and expanding grid technology.
The company said it plans to invest $5.2 billion in West Virginia through 2029. If the new generation plans are approved, another $2.5 billion in investment is expected.
The projects are aligned with Gov. Morrisey’s “50 by 50” initiative, which aims to expand the state’s energy generation capacity to 50 gigawatts by 2050.
Tierney recognized the governor’s efforts during the announcement, saying, “Governor Morrisey’s leadership in setting a bold course for energy growth is exactly what this moment demands. We share your belief that West Virginia must remain a national leader in energy production.”
