Sierra Club West Virginia Files Testimony in Mon Power’s $2.48 Billion Gas Plant CPCN

Sierra Club West Virginia has filed direct testimony opposing Mon Power’s proposed $2.48 billion combined cycle gas plant, which would generate 1,200 MW of electricity adjacent to the existing Fort Martin coal facility. The utility intends to build the plant to address a projected shortfall in electricity supply starting in 2029, largely driven by the anticipated demand of a 1,000 MW data centre. However, no contract has yet been signed with the data centre developer, raising questions about the certainty of this demand. The plan also involves retaining the ageing coal units at Fort Martin rather than retiring them, which has drawn criticism from environmental advocates. The Sierra Club’s testimony highlights concerns over the financial burden that the gas plant’s construction costs would place on West Virginia residents. Mon Power is seeking “abandonment authority” from the West Virginia Public Service Commission, a measure that would require customers to cover all costs even if the plant is never completed. This approach has been described as a risky and unfair deal that could saddle consumers with a multi-billion-pound expense for a facility primarily intended to serve a single data centre. The environmental group argues that this arrangement exploits local communities and ratepayers, especially given the speculative nature of the data centre’s demand. Environmental and community health impacts are also central to the Sierra Club’s opposition. The new gas plant would effectively double pollution levels in the surrounding area, prolonging the environmental harm caused by the existing coal plant. Sierra Club representatives emphasise that continuing to operate Fort Martin beyond its expected lifetime would exacerbate health and environmental problems for local residents. They stress the urgency of transitioning to cleaner energy sources rather than investing in fossil fuel infrastructure that contributes to climate change. Sierra Club officials, including Lisa Di Bartolomeo and Jim Kotcon, have voiced strong criticism of Mon Power’s strategy, accusing the utility of prioritising profits over public interest. Kotcon pointed out that the utility’s insistence on abandonment authority reflects an awareness of the growing regulatory risks associated with greenhouse gas emissions. The organisation warns that future climate policies could render the gas plant economically unviable, leaving ratepayers to absorb the financial losses. The Sierra Club’s intervention underscores the broader debate over energy infrastructure investments and the transition to sustainable energy in West Virginia.