The third of a quintet of West Virginia solar farms just came online, and while that’s a renewable milestone, there’s a disappointing hitch.
3 out of 5 West Virginia solar farms are online
FirstEnergy subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison have launched a 5.75 megawatt (MW), 17,000-panel solar farm at Marlowe in Berkeley County. The new solar farm sits on about 36 acres of land along I-81 and the Potomac River – land that used to store ash from the retired R. Paul Smith Power Station.
In 2022, FirstEnergy wrapped up a major cleanup effort, pulling more than 3 million tons of ash from the site to be reused in cement manufacturing. With the landfill officially closed, the company cleared the way to turn the former waste site into a clean energy generator as part of its solar program. Fifty-four local union workers constructed the solar farm, which features US-made solar panels, a racking system, and electrical equipment.
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It’s the third of Mon Power and Potomac Edison’s five solar farms that will generate up to 50 MW of clean energy combined. The companies completed their first solar farm at Fort Martin Power Station (18.9 MW) in early 2024, and their Rivesville solar site (5.5 MW) came online last fall. In total, the companies now have 30 MW of solar capacity.
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Electrek’s Take
Combined, the five projects will create more than 87,000 Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) available for purchase by customers for 4 cents per kilowatt hour in addition to normal rates. Aside from the essential benefit of cutting carbon emissions, there isn’t anything else in it for customers, apart from spending, on average, an extra $40 or so a month out of the goodness of your heart to go solar. Heck, you don’t even get a T-shirt.
Mon Power and Potomac Edison – why are customers being charged MORE to buy into solar in West Virginia? That’s a stick, not a carrot. (And WV? Coal’s not coming back. It doesn’t matter what Trump says.)
But solar growth anywhere is something to be cheerful about, and solar energy in coal-state West Virginia is progressing. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, as of Q4 2024, 205 MW of solar is installed in West Virginia. So, it’s no surprise that it’s at the bottom – it’s ranked 49th in the US for the amount of solar installed. However, it’s projected to reach 40th place over the next five years with 1,064 MW, so at least it’s expected to improve.
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Governor Patrick Morrisey has appointed a new member of the state House of Delegates.
Shane Thomas Stack, of Triadelphia, was appointed Tuesday to represent District 4. Stack replaces former Delegate Bill Flanigan who resigned to join the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia following his election to the Division 2 seat.
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“Shane Stack is an outstanding choice to represent the families and communities of the fourth district,” Morrisey said in a release. “With his deep roots in the local community, his background as a business owner, and his proven experience managing municipal finances, Shane understands what it takes to support economic growth and advocate for working West Virginians. He will serve his constituents well in Charleston.”
In Morrisey’s release, it said that Stack has a diverse background in small business ownership, municipal finance, and higher education administration. Stack currently is the owner, licensed auctioneer, and certified appraiser for Frio Stack & Associates, as well as the owner of Island Pawn & Gun.
Stack previously worked as the Town Treasurer for West Liberty.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in General Business from West Liberty University.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Sentencing is underway for Timothy Kennedy, the man convicted of murdering West Virginia State Police Trooper Cory Maynard.
Trooper Maynard was shot to death in June 2023.
The jury found Kennedy guilty on all counts: first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree disarming a law enforcement officer, and two counts of first-degree attempted murder.
Shannon Litton has has that, plus your other top stories for Tuesday, July 7th.
