Bill > HB4991

This bill, the West Virginia First Energy Act, aims to ensure stable electricity rates and support in-state energy production by requiring regulated coal-fired generating facilities to maintain a minimum 30-day on-site coal supply and regulated natural-gas-fired facilities to secure contracts ensuring fuel delivery during peak demand, with the Public Service Commission (PSC) able to grant temporary waivers only for emergencies. It also prohibits utilities from retiring or reducing the capacity of coal or natural-gas-fired plants without PSC approval, which will only be granted if the change doesn't increase rates, expose the state to wholesale market volatility, reduce grid reliability, or occur without an operational, in-state, dispatchable, non-intermittent replacement resource of equal or greater capacity already available. Furthermore, the bill restricts utilities from investing in or recovering costs for new intermittent-generation resources like wind or solar, and prohibits them from entering power-purchase agreements for such resources if they are not compliant with fuel supply requirements, while also coordinating with the Electric Grid Stabilization and Security Fund to support in-state generation and infrastructure without funding decommissioning. The PSC will also oversee participation in PJM capacity auctions to maximize ratepayer benefits and designate certain West Virginia generating units as essential reliability resources, requiring utilities to include coal and natural-gas utilization in their resource plans and report their usage annually, with the Department of Commerce analyzing job and economic impacts.

Transportation and Infrastructure

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4991&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill