West Virginia
WV Public Energy Authority presses power company about its use of coal – WV MetroNews
The West Virginia Public Energy Authority questioned how American Electric Power approaches burning coal at its power plants in West Virginia.
During a meeting today, a representative of the power company said the timetable is simply to retire three power plants — John Amos, Mountaineer and Mitchell — by 2040. The power company is allocating more than $600 million to technological improvements to make sure that can happen.
This has been a question swirling in West Virginia for several years. State regulators conducted extensive hearings in 2021 and 2022 about the costs and benefits of modifying the plants to comply with federal environmental regulations.
Just this week, the Public Service Commission authorized Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power — subsidiaries of AEP — to increase a monthly surcharge by $35.6 million so John Amos, Mountaineer, and Mitchell coal-fired electric-generating plants can make internal modifications required by federal environmental standards.
A recurring theme has been whether better handling of coal supplies over the past few years for the Mitchell, Amos and Mountaineer plants could have alleviated financial strain on the companies — and their customers.
AEP, in prior responses and again today before the state Public Energy Authority, stood by its forecasts and coal procurement actions. But AEP has maintained that it was up against post-pandemic supply and demand issues that resulted in significant volatility. Another major factor was a surge in demand brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The power company’s representatives have contended that none of that is evidence that the company intends to get out of using coal any time soon.
At the Public Energy Authority’s meeting today, agency director Nick Preservati started with an overview of the three West Virginia plants and how they have been operating. He noted that the plants had to either upgrade to meet the requirements of two federal statutes or agree to stop burning coal by 2028. The power company sought and received approval for the money required for those upgrades.
Preservati reviewed a PSC expectation for West Virginia power plants to maintain coal inventories at a level to achieve at least a 69% capacity factor.
John Scalzo, the vice president, regulatory and finance for Appalachian Power, spoke in response. “We’re going to be running these coal plants to 2040,” Scalzo told members of the Public Energy Authority.
He continued, “We’re spending nearly a billion dollars to keep them operating. If there was any goal to close them, why would we be putting a billion dollars into those plants they were going to close or if we had any intention of closing them in the near term. The answer’s no.”
Scalzo reviewed supply challenges in 2021 and 2022. “The coal markets, it’s well known, were rather constrained,” he said of that period. “It was hard to get coal.”
Members of the Public Energy Authority asked a range of followup questions.
James Bailey, the state secretary of Commerce, noted “Those investments being made, those were largely recovered from ratepayers through the PSC rate setting process?” Bailey asked, receiving a response of agreement from Scalzo.
Bailey went on to remark that state agencies have not taken a stance that the companies should take on dramatic measures to maintain its coal-fired power plants.
“I think we all consider AEP to be, generally, a friend to the state, especially when it comes to our economic development effort,” Bailey said. He added that reviews of AEP’s activities should not be “viewed as an attack for some reason. It’s purely to do our duty to make sure our ratepayers and our citizens are being treated in a way that is most economically viable to them.
“To a lot of people, their power bill can be the difference in whether they pay their medical bill or not. So it’s a very important issue that we take very seriously. That’s where this all comes from. it doesn’t come from trying to assert that you should take dramatic measures to prevent unprecedented issues.”
WEST VIRGINIA (WCHS) — A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction order halting the enforcement of certain areas of recent West Virginia legislation that banned certain food colors and ingredients.
The International Association of Color Manufacturers originally filed a lawsuit over the state of West Virginia in October over the matter, saying that the legislation violates West Virginia and United States Constitutions.
The order was issued by United States District Judge Irene Berger. In the order, Berger said the law regarding dyes to be “poisonous and injurious” is likely written to be unconstitutionally arbitrary and vague.
Berger stated the following in her ruling:
Without any clear standards, it is not clear how the WVDOH will determine if a color additive beyond those listed, is “poisonous and injurious,” meaning the WVDOH is free to arbitrarily designate additional color additives as such. What facts or data, if any, must the WVDOH rely on before determining that additional color additives are “poisonous and injurious”? Is it sufficient for the WVDOH to rely on any study when making its determination or none at all? If a parent notifies WVDOH that they believe their child is sensitive to a color additive, is that a sufficient basis for a color additive to be deemed “poisonous and injurious,” or must the WVDOH conduct a further investigation? It is far from clear. As such, because Section 16-7-2(b)(7) leaves such ad hoc and subjective decision-making to the WVDOH, it leaves the door open for arbitrary enforcement, and thus, is unconstitutionally vague.
IACM said that West Virginia law unlawfully took over the power of the United States Food and Drug Administration to make food safety decisions. IACM also said the law interfered with interstate commerce and caused economic harm to IACM member companies and their customers without providing any “substantial or rational basis” for deeming products unsafe.
The legislation, known as House Bill 2354, was signed by West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey in March, banning the use of certain food dyes, including Red No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2 and Green No. 3 in school meals beginning in August.
However, according to court documents, the preliminary injunction does not extend into school nutrition programs.
The preliminary injunction bars the West Virginia Department of Health from enforcing the ban – although the ban was not set to be fully enforced until 2028.
Morrisey disagreed with the ruling on social media, saying the decision is “both premature and wrongly decided.”
“West Virginia will continue to defend its authority to protect the health and well-being of our citizens, especially children,” Morrisey said. “We are reviewing our legal options but will continue to press forward with our efforts to get harmful crap out of our food supply.”
WEST VIRGINIA (WCHS) — The West Virginia Department of Human Services said it saw a significant drop in the number of children waiting on Wraparound services in 2025, reflecting progress its made in strengthening support for children in the Mountain State.
The average weekly Wraparound waitlist declined from 137 children in January 2025 to 14 by November, representing nearly a 90% reduction, according to a news release from the DoHS. Wraparound refers to intensive and individualized support in all areas of their life that aims to prevent children from being placed in out-of-home care.
The agency said the steady downward trend is the result of targeted efforts to expand provider capacity, improve timely access and better align services with family needs statewide.
“Reducing wait times for Wraparound services means children and families receive the right support sooner, when it matters most,” Alex Mayer, Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia DoHS, said in the news release. “Every child deserves the opportunity to heal, grow, and stay connected to family and community. This progress reflects deliberate efforts to strengthen the workforce, expand provider capacity, and remove barriers that delay care.”
The DoHS said it also expanded service capacity and strengthened coordination across the behavioral health system, including onboarding five new providers and expanding service areas with existing providers.
The Bureau for Behavioral Health further reduced waitlist pressure by providing Intro to Wraparound training to alternative service providers outside of the wraparound network, helping families connect with appropriate supports and further reducing waitlist pressure, the news release said.
To further address ongoing challenges, the DoHS said it is focusing on implementing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics statewide, boosting provider recruitment and outreach, authorizing telehealth where capacity is limited and expanding the Safe at Home program in high-need counties.
West Virginia
West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America on Dec. 22, 2025
Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.
Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25.
Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.
Here’s a look at Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
03-18-36-41-54, Powerball: 07, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
01-09-18-19-44, Star Ball: 02, ASB: 05
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 3 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
0-1-4
Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 4 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
2-9-0-4
Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 25 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
05-06-13-16-18-20
Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
- Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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