MAIDSVILLE, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protect has approved a construction permit for the natural gas-fired expansion at the Mountain State Clean Energy, LLC facility in northern Monongalia County.
Currently, the facility is a a 700 megawatt coal-fired plant that employs 150 full-time workers. The power produced at the current facility is distributed through PJM Interconnection across a 13-state region serving 65 million people.
The expansion includes two natural gas-fired turbines that will add 1270 megawatts of capacity and tap the Marcellus natural gas reserve. The project is valued at $1.1 billion and is expected to be in operation in 2024. Reports indicate an additional 30 full-time jobs will be created upon completion.
Estimates say the construction phase will create 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in the community.
There are also future plans for a 300-acre solar field that would produce another 70 megawatts of power with more than 180,000 panels.