RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — The president and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables said Saturday the company is moving as quickly as possible to get its solar plant built in Ravenswood.
“We’re so very excited to be demonstrating how we’re moving forward….absolutely as fast as we can,” Alicia Knapp said at a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the former Century Aluminum plant.
The company and the state announced the $300 million project last September. BHE Renewables plans to provide power to Precision Castparts, which Berkshire Hathaway bought in 2015.The titanium and aerospace company will make its products on the 2,000 acre site.
Knapp told MetroNews affiliate WMOV Radio the dedicated micro-grid will be about 140 mega watts of solar and 30 megawatts of battery to serve Precision. She also said there are plans to expand the operation.
“We’ll be building out the site with additional manufactures that we’ll bring in the near future but they’ll be connected to the grid and not the micro-grid. So the micro-grid is really designed to service Precision Castparts,” Knapp said Saturday.
State lawmakers passed a bill in special session last year to allow one company to produce alternative energy for a second company. Berkshire Hathaway’s deal with the state calls for 200 jobs within three years, although officials have said there is potential for 1,000.
Saturday’s groundbreaking came with one of those additional manufacturers.
The company ONE said it’s going to build a new Aries Grid factory on the site where utility-scale battery storage systems will be produced. The $22 million investment is scheduled to open in 2025 and create 105 additional jobs.
U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito were on hand for Saturday’s ceremony along with Gov. Jim Justice.
Today’s groundbreaking is recognition once again that #WV is a smart energy investment. Thanks to the #InflationReductionAct, @BHE_Renewables new industrial site in Jackson Co. will create hundreds of good-paying jobs right here in WV that help reinvigorate American manufacturing pic.twitter.com/eYKWJSFRxu
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) March 4, 2023
Capito said the federal infrastructure bill came at a good time for the project.
“And then the state came in and made some adjustments under the governor’s leadership which I think really accelerated the project. So it was an all hands-on-deck thing. Time frames are short and we are taking advantage of it,” Capito said.
Thrilled to be breaking ground on Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s new plant in Ravenswood today!
This first-of-its-kind facility has the potential to transform communities across Jackson County, and is the culmination of hard work and collaboration. It’s a great day in WV. pic.twitter.com/sOmwlbSD7C
— Shelley Moore Capito (@SenCapito) March 4, 2023
Manchin said the Inflation Reduction Act which he helped author is tailor-made for projects like the one coming to Ravenswood.
“It’s basically attracting people from all over the world to come and innovate in the United States of America, bring factories back, and West Virginia being an energy hub is truly a magnet for this,” Manchin said.
Today we broke ground on the BHE Renewables project in Millwood. It’s the beginning of an incredible renaissance for Jackson County, and proves WV can attract world-class companies to our state that will provide good-paying jobs for the next generation of West Virginians. pic.twitter.com/tw0Q3rkldX
— Governor Jim Justice (@WVGovernor) March 4, 2023
Justice said he can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in Jackson County as a result of the development.
“Today’s groundbreaking is the beginning of an incredible renaissance for Jackson County,” Justice said. “Our partnership with BHE Renewable and PCC proves we can attract world-class companies to our state that will provide good-paying jobs for the next generation of West Virginians.”
Congresswoman Carol Miller also spoke at Saturday’s ceremony.
Berkshire Hathaway got interested in West Virginia after state Senator Glenn Jeffries, R-Putnam, sent a letter to company owner Warren Buffett. That led to multiple visits by Berkshire Hathaway to identify an appropriate site.