New 1.2-GW Gas-Fired Plant Planned in WV; Three Solar Projects Also Announced

Darrell Proctor

Sun, February 15, 2026 astatine 10:40 AM CST 3 min read

Two subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. announced plans to physique a caller 1,200-MW earthy gas-fired powerfulness works connected onshore adjacent to the companies' coal-fired Fort Martin Power Station successful West Virginia. Mon Power and Potomac Edison connected February 13 announced the caller installation is sited connected 35 acres successful Maidsville, West Virginia. The utilities submitted an exertion to the authorities Public Service Commission (PSC) for the caller powerfulness plant, and besides person asked the PSC to o.k. plans for 3 caller star farms successful the state. The PSC successful an email to media wrote, “According to the filing, the companies authorities the combined projects are intended to code vigor deficits and trim imaginable capableness shortfalls portion supporting reliable electrical service.” The Fort Martin installation is an 1,100-MW coal-fired powerfulness works that has been online since 1967. The gas-fired station, if approved by the PSC, could statesman commercialized cognition successful precocious 2031, according to a filing. The companies said they expect the PSC to contented a determination connected the exertion wrong the adjacent year, which would let operation to being arsenic soon arsenic 2027. The PSC said the combined-cycle powerfulness works represents an concern of $2.84 billion. [caption id="attachment_224586" align="alignnone" width="640"]

The 1,100-MW Fort Martin Power Station is located successful Maidsville, West Virginia, connected the Monongahela River. It has 2 coal-fired units. It is owned by Monongahela Power (Mon Power), portion of FirstEnergy Corp. Source: Mon Power[/caption] Jim Myers, FirstEnergy's president of West Virginia and Maryland, said, "The Fort Martin Power Station is already an important portion of our powerfulness infrastructure, and this caller works builds connected that strength. By adding modern earthy state procreation alongside our existing plants, we are making definite families and businesses crossed West Virginia person the reliable and affordable powerfulness they beryllium connected contiguous and for years to come."

The companies successful a quality merchandise connected Friday said the earthy gas-fired works "is a cardinal portion of Mon Power and Potomac Edison's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which outlines however the companies volition proceed delivering reliable, affordable powerfulness to customers implicit the adjacent decade. The program besides calls for continued cognition of the Fort Martin and Harrison powerfulness plants and adds caller star resources to make a much balanced and resilient vigor portfolio." The Harrison facility, located successful Haywood, West Virginia, is simply a 1,984-MW coal-fired powerfulness station. The plant's 3 units person operated since 1972, 1973, and 1974, respectively. Coal-fired powerfulness plants successful West Virginia are among those slated to person backing done a U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) programme announced earlier successful February. Appalachian Power said it applied for $35 cardinal successful backing for upgrades astatine the John Amos Power Plant successful Putnam County and the Mountaineer Power Plant successful Mason County. The DOE connected February 11 said it would earmark $175 cardinal to upgrade astatine slightest six coal-fired facilities, including successful West Virginia. The DOE said the backing is portion of a larger $525-million programme focused connected improvements to the nation's coal-fired powerfulness works fleet.