May 6, 2021 - As previously announced, the West Virginia Coal Association filed a petition to intervene in a case brought by American Electric Power (AEP) before the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) that is centered around the Mitchell Power Plant is Marshall County, West Virginia. 

The issue is whether the Mitchell Plant should close twelve years ahead of schedule.  If approved, this decision will prematurely eliminate hundreds of coal mining and plant worker jobs and tens of millions of dollars of economic activity that supports Northern West Virginia communities. 

The decision whether to close the Mitchell Power Plant prematurely will be made by the PSC this summer.  To inform their decision, the PSC wants to hear from the public, including stakeholders of the coal and power generation industries.  A public comment period is now open and ends on Wednesday, June 2.

We are asking all Friends of Coal to stand up and be counted! 

Please submit a comment to the PSC asking them to deny AEP’s request to prematurely close the Mitchell Power Plant. 

The process is easy and only takes a minute.  To file a comment with the PSC, click here!

Let the PSC know that your job, a family member, friend, or neighbor’s job depends on keeping the plant operating through its full life cycle. Let them know your business or community relies on these mining and power plant jobs. Explain that coal-fired electricity is keeping our homes warm, our lights on, our virtual learning successful, and our electric system secure and resilient. 

We anticipate environmentalists and renewable interests to voice their strong support for the plant to close, so we are ringing the alarm to encourage all Friends of Coal to file a public comment with the PSC to keep the Mitchell Power Plant operating.

Regardless of where you live or where your job is located, or whether you are a met or thermal miner, please take a minute to file a comment with the PSC today! Everyone in this industry needs to “Stand Up and Be Counted”!  

Thank you for your assistance!