April 16, 2026 - Below is a message from Chris Hamilton, President, West Virginia Coal Association, regarding major coal industry issues developing before WVPSC; membership Zoom call April 30.

There are two major cases before the WV Public Service Commission with significant implications for the state's coal industry involving the Commission's consideration of the Integrated Resource Plans filed by both major electric utilities per HB 2814 and First Energy/Mon Power's proposed 1200 MW gas plant as part of the utilities regulated generation. 

Both cases are moving forward with a full briefing schedule and hearings set for May 6-7 for First Energy/Mon Power's IRP and May 19-20 for AEP/APCO's IRP.  A hearing date has been scheduled for July 16-17 for Mon Power's proposed gas plant.   

The Association has intervened in both cases and in the matter of First Energy's gas plant; the intervenor list is 10 organizations long. Here and here for your review are two memos from Jake Altmeyer of Phillips, Gardill, Kaiser and Altmeyer, our legal representation before the WVPSC, providing an overview and schedule for both cases. 

We are working with other intervenors in the gas plant case to synchronize our efforts and we plan to host a membership zoom call at 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 30^th, to review these cases in greater detail along with other ongoing activities of the Association. 

Background:  The requirements for utilities to file "revised" integrated resource plans for the Commission's approval came from passage of HB 2014 "Power Generation and Consumption Act” last year and were designed to require West Virginia's regulated coal plants to be upgraded and modernized to improve their performance and effectively extend the life of the existing coal fleet.  

The legislation created a certified microgrid program and directed the PSC to issue orders and promulgate administrative rules to ensure West Virginia’s regulated utilities are properly operating and maintaining their existing coal fired power plants.  

The PSC and coal plant-specific provisions of the bill begin on page 23 of the linked final version of HB  2014.

https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2014%20sub1%20enr.pdf 

Among the most important provisions of HB 2014 is the requirement that utilities update their Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) https://code.wvlegislature.gov/24-2-19/ “to include a detailed plant upgrade and maintenance plan, improvement compliance schedule, and cost estimate for ensuring the operation of each generating unit through their planned retirement date. The supplemental integrated resource plan shall also include an analysis of the action necessary to extend the life of each generating unit beyond their planned retirement date” (see pages 27-28 of linked final version of HB 2014).  

The pertinent text of the IRP order is provided below:

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each electric utility that owns generating plant(s) shall include in its 2025 IRP specific plans and costs to make the plants more reliable and more efficient with regard to an improved gross and net heat rate and lower operating costs other than fuel per unit of gross and net output; thus, allowing the plants to be able to reach the 69 percent target.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the 2025 IRP of each electric utility that owns generating plants shall discuss possible increases in heat rates if new equipment that increases    intra-plant parasitic load is required to extend the useful lives of the plants.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each electric utility that owns generating plants shall include detailed proposals for management of fuel supplies and contracts so as to economically dispatch its plants.

The revised integrated resource plans were filed with the WVPSC in October 2025.