OPINION
For generations, West Virginians have done the hard work that keeps this country moving, whether it was mining the coal, producing the natural gas or generating the electricity that powered homes, factories and communities from one end of America to the other.
Whenever our nation has needed energy, West Virginia has been there, and now, as America enters a new era of manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI) and unprecedented demand for electricity, our state is once again ready to answer the call.
Dominion Energy’s proposal to build a new, state-of-the-art natural gas power station at Mount Storm, right alongside the coal-fired facility that has served our country for decades, is an enormous opportunity for West Virginia, but it is also a reminder of something that ought to be plain as day: America cannot grow its economy, bring manufacturing back home or compete with China unless we have reliable and affordable electricity, and plenty of it.
I have said many times that energy is everything, because at the end of the day, energy affects the cost of nearly every product we buy, determines where companies decide to build and invest and plays an enormous role in whether America remains the strongest nation globally.
My dad always said there are three ways to build a road: drainage, drainage, drainage. The key to Emerald City, or solving many of the woes in America, is energy, energy, energy.
We can talk all we want about winning the race for AI, rebuilding American manufacturing and creating the jobs of the future. But for crying out loud, none of those things happen without the power to keep the lights on and the machines running.
We can’t afford to choose between warm winters, a cool summer, and the jobs and opportunities we need. We can have both.
The proposed Mount Storm facility would add approximately 2,600 megawatts of dependable power while taking advantage of the infrastructure and skilled workforce already in place.
Just as important, Dominion would continue operating the existing coal-fired station, showing that coal and natural gas can work together as part of a practical, commonsense energy strategy.
Some people in Washington have spent years acting as though we have to choose between different sources of American energy, but I have never believed that made a lick of sense.
You do not win a ballgame by taking your best players off the field, and you do not meet rapidly growing electricity demand by shutting down reliable power plants.
Simply put, America needs coal and natural gas.
We should embrace every other resource that can help us produce more affordable, reliable American energy.
That is what an all-of-the-above approach really means — not picking winners and losers based on political fashion but using every tool we have to keep our country strong.
However, it’s important to remember to always keep a level playing field — newer subsidies shouldn’t drive out or replace traditional ones.
The benefits of the Mount Storm project would be felt far beyond the power grid.
It is expected to create more than 1,400 construction jobs, support roughly 2,500 jobs across West Virginia, create nearly 150 permanent positions and generate approximately $950 million in tax revenue for Grant County during its first 36 years of operation.
Those are tremendous numbers, but what they really mean is steady paychecks for families, more customers for local restaurants and small businesses, stronger schools and communities and more young West Virginians who can find a good job and build a wonderful life right here at home instead of feeling like they have to pack up and move away.
The great people of West Virginia are simply the best. I’ve always said — they’re smart, loving craftsman, caring neighbors that appreciate others.
Energy is their expertise and their second name.
President Trump understands this better than most.
His America First energy agenda recognizes that our coal miners, natural gas workers and energy producers are not standing in the way of America’s future; they are helping make that future possible.
West Virginia is energy, and we are West Virginians.
We have always answered the call when America needed us, and we’re ready to do it again. If this country wants to lead the world, it starts with having the power to make it happen.
And nobody is better prepared to deliver that power than the great people of West Virginia.