West Virginia officials today announced thousands of acres will generate solar power on top of the former Hobet mining site, which has been eyed for years as a possible economic development location.
“To take reclaimed properties and turn them into something that is another form of energy is a sweet spot for the state of West Virginia,” said Devanna Corley, president of SEVA West Virginia, the principal developer for the property.
Three thousand acres at the location are anticipated to be the location of West Virginia’s largest solar power generation site, a $325 million investment, according to state officials.
The newly-formed SEVA West Virginia will develop the solar energy facility at Hobet. The property will now be called Sun Park. The three thousand acres dedicated to solar are expected to produce 250 megawatts.
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The project is in partnership with the State of West Virginia and the Boone and Lincoln County Economic Development Authorities.
“There is no better time in the state of West Virginia than right now to capitalize on a project like this one simply because there’s an overwhelming amount of public funds available , both state and federal, that can go into the infrastructure,” Corley said.
Officials estimated economic effects of $28 million for Boone and Lincoln counties and $50 million for the State of West Virginia.
The rest of the multi-phase plan is expected to include industrial and commercial development, an educational component, tourism attractions and hospitality venues. The tourism aspect is a connecter for the already-popular Hatfield McCoy off roading trails. Chalets and lodging are anticipated to accommodate riders.
“It’s just an incredible day for Boone and Lincoln County and southern West Virginia, including the Kanawha Valley,” said Senator Ron Stollings, D-Boone. “This has the potential to affect the entire region. It’s an opportunity to grow and expand our tax base. Our tax base has really been depleted with the downturn in the coal industry.
The Hobet location has been envisioned by state officials, starting in 2016 during the Tomblin administration, as a gigantic economic development location, with thousands of acres of flat land reasonably easily accessible from Charleston.
“Post-mine land use is something we’ve been talking about for 25 years here, knowing that one of the largest detriments to development down here is the lack of flat or relatively flat developable land. So the industry served us well and now leaves us with some potential developable land,” Stollings said.
A key aspect of development there has been an estimated $25 million interchange and access road. Stollings agreed the availability of federal infrastructure dollars, as well as efforts to provide economic help to coal communities, has been important to move forward with the project.
“They’re going to put the infrastructure in. That’s happening. And once that’s in, everything else is going to happen,” Stollings said.
Mitch Carmichael, West Virginia’s economic development director, told a crowd gathered at the site today that Gov. Jim Justice welcomes the project as an economic driver and as a signal of progress.
“This represents not only a moment in which we recognize the historic and continuing and future success of our fossil fuel industry, but we also put a market down and say ‘We’re for all of the above,'” Carmichael said.
Savion, the solar developer, and SEVA are separate companies.
Chris Lawrence provided interviews and reporting for this story.