FirstEnergy Corp. plans to build a new 1,200-MW natural gas-fired power plant in West Virginia by 2031, as part of an Integrated Resource Plan. The company also aims to keep two major coal-fired power plants operational for the next decade and add 70 MW of solar power by 2028. This aligns with Gov. Morrisey’s initiative to increase state power generation to 50 GW by 2050.

The coal-fired Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville, West Virginia, and the Harrison Power Station in Haywood, West Virginia, are set to remain operational for at least the next 10 years, according to FirstEnergy’s IRP. The Fort Martin plant has two coal-fired units and the Harrison plant has three units that came online in the early 1970s.

West Virginia heavily relies on coal for electricity production, with more than 80% of electricity generated by coal-fired power plants. The Harrison Power Station, operated by FirstEnergy, has received about $1 billion in investments for environmental control systems. The new gas-fired power plant proposed by FirstEnergy would be the state’s largest in terms of generation capacity.

FirstEnergy’s proposal for a new gas-fired power plant in West Virginia has received support from state treasurer Larry Pack, who believes it will create jobs and provide reliable, affordable power. FirstEnergy, one of the largest investor-owned electric systems in the U.S., serves millions of customers across several states. Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in West Virginia, while Potomac Edison serves customers in Maryland and West Virginia.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: FirstEnergy Plan Calls for New Gas-Fired Plant, Continued Coal-Fired Generation