CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The West Virginia Coal Association (WVCA) today announced it has submitted formal comments to the West Virginia Office of Energy in response to the state’s request for input on the development of a Comprehensive Energy Plan for West Virginia. The comments were transmitted to West Virginia Office of Energy Director Nicholas Preservati and focus on the central role coal must continue to play in meeting the state’s and nation’s energy, economic, and security needs.
In its comments, the WVCA urges the Office of Energy to ensure that coal remains a foundational element of the Comprehensive Energy Plan, citing coal’s unmatched contribution to grid resilience, baseload power, high-wage jobs, and tax revenues that support schools, infrastructure, and essential public services. The Association also calls for continued investment in modern coal technologies and plant upgrades so that West Virginia’s coal fleet can operate at optimum capacity for decades to come.
“The West Virginia Coal Association looks forward to working with the West Virginia Office of Energy, the Governor’s Office, and state lawmakers as the Comprehensive Energy Plan is finalized,” said Chris Hamilton, President of the WVCA. “We stand ready to provide additional data and industry perspective as needed to help chart a durable, reliable, and economically sound energy future for the Mountain State.”
In its filing, the WVCA underscores that West Virginia’s coal industry has supplied reliable, low-cost energy that has powered American growth for generations, beginning as the motive power that ran the nation’s railroads and fired the iron and steel furnaces of the industrial revolution. The Association notes that as the nation’s energy needs have evolved, coal has effectively transitioned into the backbone of dependable, affordable electric generation that supports the country’s modern digital and artificial intelligence age.
The Association’s comments emphasize that West Virginia coal continues to fuel American industrial strength and will be essential to any strategy aimed at reshoring manufacturing and restoring domestic supply chains. WVCA also highlights the state’s strong position in global energy markets, where West Virginia producers supply high-quality coal for electric generation and industrial uses to key international partners, reinforcing both U.S. and allied economic security.
WVCA’s submission further points to recent policy progress aimed at stabilizing and strengthening the coal sector. The Association notes that President Trump’s energy team has worked aggressively over the past year to reverse federal policies that harmed the nation’s coal industry, and that at the state level, Governor Patrick Morrisey and the West Virginia Legislature have advanced measures designed to modernize and optimize the state’s regulated coal fleet. Among those actions is House Bill 2014, a microgrid and data center bill that includes provisions to boost in‑state coal-fired electricity and support long-term grid reliability.
