In his op-ed published Friday in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Brian Dayton of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce argues that natural gas is a cheaper base fuel for electric generation. Unfortunately, his claims rely on selective data, flawed comparisons, and a misunderstanding of how power systems actually work.
Let’s start with the data. Dayton cherry-picks six states from the PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization that actually spans 13 states. By narrowing his focus, he crafts a misleading narrative. Even using his limited snapshot, West Virginia’s electric rates remain among the lowest of our neighboring states. When the full 13-state PJM footprint is considered, the disparity becomes even clearer. And when comparing all states east of the Mississippi River, West Virginia ranks second overall for affordability—proof that coal-fired generation continues to deliver reliable, low-cost power.
Dayton also suggests that utilities always operate prudently and efficiently. The record says otherwise. The West Virginia Public Service Commission has repeatedly found utilities to be imprudent, denying hundreds of millions of dollars in attempted rate recoveries tied to poor management and questionable operational decisions.
Then there’s his criticism of the 69% capacity factor (CF) benchmark for coal plants—an argument borrowed directly from anti-coal talking points. But the 69% figure isn’t arbitrary; it reflects optimal performance. Think of it like your car’s fuel efficiency: there’s a difference between city and highway mileage. When coal plants are forced to throttle up and down to accommodate intermittent sources like wind and solar—or semi–base load gas units—they lose efficiency, just like a car stuck in stop-and-go traffic. In fact, the swing in performance can be more than 35%. Coal plants are engineered to run best at a steady, consistent load around that 69% CF “sweet spot,” where they operate most cleanly, efficiently, and economically.
Running these plants below that level wastes fuel and raises costs for consumers. And the underlying cause isn’t technology—it’s policy. Political and corporate pressure to phase out coal has forced operators to idle units, cut run times, and even award executive bonuses for not burning coal, all under the guise of meeting misguided corporate climate targets.
Meanwhile, energy prices keep climbing. The reason is simple: as coal’s share of the grid declines, the system becomes increasingly dependent on natural gas, a fuel whose price is more sensitive to demand surges, international conflicts, and infrastructure constraints. Gas remains an important part of the mix, but unlike coal, it cannot be stored onsite in large quantities—leaving the grid more exposed to volatility and supply interruptions when demand peaks.
Fortunately, today’s leadership in Washington recognizes coal’s enduring value. The current administration has assembled a pro-coal energy team and is directing hundreds of millions of dollars toward modernizing existing coal plants—helping them run longer, cleaner, and more efficiently.
Brian Dayton and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce would do well to stay in their lane. Rather than echoing selective talking points by special interests that wish to displace coal’s position in West Virginia, they should listen to those who actually keep West Virginia’s lights on—reliably, affordably, and for generations.
