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.”
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history, compiled by the West Virginia Humanities Council from its online encyclopedia, e-WV.
April 19, 1896: Writer Melville Davisson Post was born in Harrison County. His best-known works are the Randolph Mason series, published in three volumes, and the more successful collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries.
April 19, 1902: Author Jean Lee Latham was born in Buckhannon. She wrote a number of children’s books, including Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which won the 1956 Newbery Award.
April 20, 1823: Gen. Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling. He graduated from West Point in 1846 with another cadet from western Virginia, Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall.” Reno was the highest-ranking officer from present West Virginia killed in the Civil War.
April 20, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that in 60 days, West Virginia would become a state. The occasion was marked 100 years later during the state’s Centennial celebration with a special ceremonial session of the West Virginia Legislature on April 20, 1963, in Wheeling.
April 20, 1909: Fiddler Melvin Wine was born near Burnsville in Braxton County. A favorite of old-time music enthusiasts nationally, he was chosen as a National Heritage Fellow in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts — the highest recognition given to a folk artist in the United States.
April 20, 1939: Poet Irene McKinney was born in Belington, Barbour County. Gov. Gaston Caperton appointed her state poet laureate in 1993, and she served in that capacity until her death in 2012.
April 21, 1908: Musician Phoeba Cottrell Parsons was born in Calhoun County. Parsons’ traditional clawhammer banjo style, unaccompanied ballad singing, riddles and storytelling have influenced countless younger musicians.
April 21, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Forest. The West Virginia portion of the forest includes about 19,000 acres in Monroe County.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local West Virginia issue into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban Gen. Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek — now Keyser. The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what became known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
e-WV is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the council at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301, call 304-346-8500 or visit wvencyclopedia.org.
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
Follow
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
WVNS is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
WVNS is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
-
Kentucky3 minutes agoVanderbilt baseball’s series win vs Kentucky revelatory
-
Louisiana9 minutes agoLouisiana shooter Shamar Elkins made chilling remarks about ‘demons’ weeks before killing his 7 kids and their cousin
-
Maine15 minutes agoA remote Maine town is ready to close its 5-student school
-
Maryland21 minutes agoMaryland Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for April 19, 2026
-
Michigan27 minutes agoMichigan Democrats seek to mend old divides at contentious convention
-
Minnesota39 minutes agoUCLA baseball remains perfect in Big Ten by beating Minnesota
-
Mississippi45 minutes agoMississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for April 19, 2026
-
Missouri51 minutes ago
Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for April 19, 2026