Tell Governor Morrisey: Protect West Virginians from the Costs of Coal-Powered Electricity.

On November 13, Governor Morrisey announced a $1.44 billion loan from the Department of Energy (DOE) to West Virginia utilities to refurbish six of the state’s uneconomic coal-fired power plants, extending their lives by up to 20 years.

Coal is not the future -- not for West Virginia or for the country. In the first half of 2025. More than 90% of new electricity-generating capacity in the U.S. was solar or wind.[1] Extending the life of these uneconomic coal-fired power plants will raise our electricity bills, pollute our air and water, and worsen our health compared to more affordable renewable energy. And because this is a loan, West Virginia rate payers will be on the hook for paying back the $1.44 billion.

Please send a message to Governor Morissey. Let him know why it's important to you to invest in a clean, affordable, renewable energy future, and not force West Virginians to cover the costs of keeping uneconomical coal plants open.

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Protect West Virginians from the Costs of Coal-Powered Electricity.

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The $1.44 billion loan from the US Department of Energy to keep six coal-fired power plants online for the next 20 years will cost the state for generations to come. West Virginia needs to move on from uneconomic coal and work toward a healthy, economically viable future, and coal can’t be part of that future. Studies have shown that 20 West Virginians die each year thanks to the coal plants, as well as 335 people from outside the state. In addition to the health and environmental costs of this life extension for coal plants, West Virginia’s ratepayers simply can’t afford it. We have some of the fastest-rising electric rates in the country, in part because we keep footing the bill for uneconomic energy from coal. This “loan” would put the state’s ratepayers in hock for decades, and I don’t want the next generations of West Virginians to be forced to pay for the mistakes of today. Please stop supporting expensive investments in coal -- West Virginia can't afford it.

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