Last month, energy company Competitive Power Ventures announced it had selected West Virginia as the state it would build a new natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant with carbon capture and storage.
According to the company, the plant will produce about 1,800 MW of electricity, with an approximate investment of more than $3 billion dollars, and go into operation toward the end of the decade.
The construction will require more than 1,000 skilled tradespeople, and include prevailing wage labor and apprenticeships, to satisfy the requirements laid out in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides tax incentives for carbon sequestration and storage.
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin applauded the announcement, crediting the IRA, a bill he authored earlier this year, with helping to secure the company’s decision to build in West Virginia.
“The Inflation Reduction Act is already having a positive impact for the people of West Virginia and carbon capture utilization efforts here in the United States,” said Manchin.
“I’m pleased Competitive Power Ventures is investing in the Mountain State and look forward to seeing the benefits of this investment – including long-term, good-paying jobs and supporting our regional economies – for years to come.”
According to West Virginia State Building and Construction Trades President Chuck Parker, the investment will help to ensure West Virginia remains competitive in the region.
“Pennsylvania and Ohio have built numerous combined-cycle natural gas power plants over the last few years,” said Parker. “Now it is finally West Virginia’s turn. We have been training our members for a project like this and will be able to supply the workforce needed.”
