Charleston Gazette-Mail
One corporate executive told the West Virginia Legislature that a project to refit the Pleasants Power Station near Belmont is in desperate need of federal funding or it will collapse. Another told lawmakers that everything is fine. Nothing to see here.
What gives?
The Pleasants Power Station has a complicated history, most of which has unfolded just in the past few years. The coal-fired power plant, which is a large employer in Pleasants County, has frequently been on the brink of financial ruin, and was originally set to close nearly five years ago. Gov. Jim Justice called a special legislative session in 2019, and the state bailed the plant out with $12.5 million in yearly special tax breaks. However, it was estimated that would keep the plant viable only for another two or three years.
Last year, it was announced the plant was again expected to shut down. in a bid to keep the facility on life-support, energy companies sought a one-time, $36 million surcharge from the state Public Service Commission. The money would’ve increased rates on utility customers, but that’s rarely been a concern for the PSC.
