By Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON — A West Virginia Senate committee amended Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s bill encouraging development of data centers — some of which could be powered by microgrids — to address concerns raised by county officials.
The Economic Development Committee recommended an amendment to House Bill 2014, the Power Generation and Consumption Act after more than three hours of testimony.
HB 2014, introduced on behalf of Morrisey, would create a Certified Microgrid Program in the Division (currently the Department) of Economic Development to attract high-impact data centers to the state and localized power generation for such facilities, also called microgrids.
Among other provisions, the bill would allow for multiple microgrids across the state if more than 60% of the electricity generated is used by one or more high-impact data centers, defined as one or more facilities with a power load of 90 megawatts total. These microgrids are limited to a sale of 10% of the electricity generated to the wholesale market. The remaining energy must be internally used.
