CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The House of Delegates convened Wednesday to discuss several bills and resolutions, including House Resolution 12 pertaining to the purchase of the Pleasants Power Station.
The resolution, introduced in the House on February 3, 2023, would “strongly encourage” the purchase of the Pleasants Power Station by Monongahela Power Company to “preserve the power source and economic opportunities that the facility provides.”
Said economic opportunities entail over $400 million annually with regard to economic impact to the regional economy and local governments, as well as a $128 million economic impact to Pleasants County and surrounding counties, and $1.75 million annually to the Pleasants County Commission and Pleasants County Board of Education. The plant also represents the county’s largest taxpayer and is cited by the proposed legislation itself to be “truly the heart and soul of the community.”
Fittingly, the lead sponsor of the resolution is Delegate Barnhart (R-Pleasants, 009) who, on Wednesday, spoke to employees and locals looking to find a way forward for the facility.
Delegate Ferrell (R-Kanawha, 060) spoke in support of the bill and urged that lawmakers work to provide assistance for all areas throughout the state that may need it at a given time.
“The economy in that part of the Northern Panhandle has been decimated from the offshoring of the steel industry and several other related industries in that area,” said Delegate Ferrell. “It’s time for us to step up for the Ohio Valley. Next week, it may be [for] Southwestern West Virginia that we do that. We’re one state.”
Support for the legislation was also expressed by Delegate Rowe (D-Kanawha, 052), who made reference to House Bill 2882 which passed during last week’s sessions.
“This is one of those important pieces,” Delegate Rowe said Wednesday. “Who knows, it may provide the electricity to the plant in Weirton to make the batteries that they’re going to use. Because they’ve got to get the electricity from somewhere, and this plant would be the, I think, the closest energy source. So again, I support the resolution and think that this is the kind of economic development we want to maintain and retain.”
Delegate Pushkin (R-Kanawha, 054) did express concerns regarding rates for customers in the area potentially going up as a result of the purchase, but ultimately voted in favor of the legislation upon conclusion of discussion.
House Resolution passed overwhelmingly on Wednesday with 93 Delegates voting in favor, 2 voting against, and 5 counted absent from the voting proceedings.