Press Release from Energy Solutions Consortium:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On Thursday afternoon, the West Virginia Supreme Court issued a unanimous memorandum decision in favor of Energy Solutions Consortium affirming the siting certificate for ESC Brooke County Power issued by the West Virginia Public Service Commission. The decision also involves the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association and the West Virginia State Building and Construction Trades Council – both who had intervened in support of the project.
Statement by Energy Solutions Consortium President, Drew Dorn
“We are pleased with the unanimous decision by the West Virginia Supreme Court to affirm the citing certificate of the ESC Brooke County Power project issued by the West Virginia Public Service Commission after a frivolous appeal. We are excited to clear another important hurdle to bring this project and the huge economic benefits it will deliver to West Virginia.
West Virginia sits atop of one of the most prolific natural gas reserves in the world. However, as the surrounding states of Ohio and Pennsylvania have already constructed dozens of new natural gas power plants, West Virginia still has no base-load capacity natural gas power to date.
Brooke County Power:
- The facility will consume $177.5 Million annually of natural gas, supporting hundreds of jobs in the region associated with the natural gas industry (exploration, development, processing and transport).
- Facility construction period will involve almost 3,795 job years of work (1 job year = one person working full-time for one full year).
- Additionally, during the construction period, the project will yield many indirect economic benefits to the local community including over $1.25 Billion in impact.
- During plant operation, the facility will engage up to 30 full-time and part-time employees. In addition to the jobs onsite, the project can create 1,164 direct, indirect and induced jobs due to requirements for maintenance, supplies, fuel and other needed local services.
- The annual economic impact of the facility will total $440.5 Million each year.
- The facility will provide $1 Million to Brooke County on the commencement of construction with yearly contributions during operation of $433,000 to the Brooke County Commission and $167, 000 the Brooke County Board of Education.
