CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The West Virginia Coal Association today announced the results of a new study by the West Virginia University Bureau of Business & Economic Research (BBER) documenting the powerful, far reaching statewide economic benefits of coal mining and coal‑fired power generation in West Virginia.
The report, titled “The Economic Impact of Coal and Coal-Fired Power Generation in West Virginia,” finds that coal mining and coal‑fired electric generation together produced approximately $21 billion in total economic activity in 2024, supported 36,249 jobs, and generated $3.7 billion in employee compensation across the Mountain State.
The study further estimates that the combined sectors contributed about $1.3 billion in select state and local tax revenue last year, including severance, sales, personal income, property and corporate net income taxes.
Key Findings
According to the BBER analysis, commissioned by the West Virginia Coal Association, coal remains a cornerstone of West Virginia’s economy despite long‑term shifts in national energy markets.
- Total coal mining impact: Coal mining alone supported an estimated $16.4 billion in total economic activity, 30,600 jobs, and $3.1 billion in employee compensation in 2024, while generating about $1 billion in state and local tax revenue.
- Coal‑fired power generation impact: Coal‑fired power plants supported nearly $4.6 billion in total economic activity, 5,649 jobs, and $615.2 million in employee compensation, along with $315.1 million in state and local tax revenue.
- Direct vs. ripple effects: The study estimates direct output from coal mining and coal‑fired generation at $15.5 billion, with an additional $5.5 billion in indirect and induced impacts as mines, plants, suppliers and workers re‑spend dollars throughout the state’s economy.
The BBER reports that coal miners continue to earn substantially higher wages than the state average, with average annual pay of about $112,800 in 2024 – nearly twice the average wage for all private industries in West Virginia. While coal mining accounts for roughly 2.5 percent of all private‑sector jobs, it generates 4.8 percent of total private‑sector earnings in the state.
Coal’s Role in Energy and Exports
The study notes that West Virginia remains the nation’s second‑largest coal producer, accounting for 15.5 percent of total U.S. coal production in 2024, up from 13.3 percent in 2004. Although total tonnage has declined over the past two decades, production in West Virginia has held up better than in the rest of the country and has increased since 2020.
Coal‑fired power plants located in eight counties – Grant, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Monongalia, Pleasants and Putnam – generated more than 43 million megawatt hours of electricity in 2024, providing high‑wage jobs and significant local tax bases in those communities. At the same time, about 53 percent of West Virginia coal production in 2024 was sold into export markets, with major destinations including India, China, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.
“This new study confirms what our communities know firsthand: coal mining and coal‑fired power remain vital economic engines for West Virginia, supporting tens of thousands of high‑wage jobs and billions in tax revenues that fund our schools, roads and public safety,” said Chris Hamilton, President of the West Virginia Coal Association. “Even as energy markets evolve, coal continues to anchor our economy and power grid, and this report underscores the importance of maintaining a strong, reliable coal fleet in West Virginia.”
John Deskins, Ph.D., director of the WVU Bureau of Business & Economic Research and co‑author of the study, said, “Our analysis shows that coal’s impact extends far beyond the mine gates and plant fences. Spending by coal companies, power plants and their employees support a wide range of businesses across the state – from equipment suppliers and contractors to local retailers and service providers – producing a sizable multiplier effect in the broader economy.”
