Battery of the Nation: A Vision for 2050
by Gov. Patrick Morrisey
For generations, the people of West Virginia have powered America. From the coal mines that built our industries to the natural gas fields that heat our homes, this state has been the beating heart of our nation’s energy independence. As it stands today, China, Russia, and Iran, our very adversaries, are some of the largest energy producers in the world. This is unacceptable. Now more than ever, we need the boldest energy policy in our state’s history: a plan that ensures West Virginia remains the engine of American prosperity and security for decades to come.
Our goal is simple but transformative: move from 15 gigawatts of generating capacity today to 50 gigawatts by 2050. That’s more than tripling our power, and it would make West Virginia the No. 1 electricity exporter per capita in the United States. We are already a national leader: we’re No. 2 in coal, No. 5 in natural gas, and No. 4 in total energy production. Now is the time to cement our position as America’s energy powerhouse.
This policy is rooted in scientific and economic realities, not politics. We cannot afford the “stop-and-go” policies that have plagued our state’s development for decades. Our state and our national security both need long-term certainty, not a policy that ends with a term in office. That’s why we are putting forward a 25-year strategy for steady, predictable, and reliable growth.
The facts speak for themselves. PJM Interconnection has warned we need to double our energy production by 2040. With peak load increasing faster than we’re producing energy, and plenty of systems set to retire before replacement, we need to act quickly. If we fail to act, America will face rolling blackouts, skyrocketing energy prices and a dangerous dependence on foreign adversaries. We can’t ignore what’s coming.
West Virginia must lead the way by prioritizing the baseload generation to 50 GW by 2050. It may seem ambitious, but if we prioritize our coal and natural gas, it is all the more possible. We will need to upgrade our existing coal-fired plants while also building new natural gas and nuclear facilities. This balance would ensure resource stability for years to come.
To deliver power where it is needed, we are launching a comprehensive transmission policy. Right now, we have a shortage of transformers, turbines, switchgear, and breakers. Unless this is fixed, we will continue to have delays expanding our baseload generation.
We are also establishing the first energy security policy in our state’s history. This will inventory our existing energy resources, identify vulnerabilities in our systems, and prepare us for any potential natural hazards or cyberattacks that could come our way.
Our 25-year development policy will be specialized for every major energy source, whether that is coal, gas, nuclear, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, and more. We can no longer view these industries as rivals if we want to save our country’s energy security. Each plan will cover generation capacity, infrastructure upgrades, market expansion opportunities, and development sites. We’ll do all this with expanded workforce training programs, reduced red tape, and the preservation of our state’s natural beauty.
This plan will be built by partnerships. We will leverage our strong working relationship with President Donald J. Trump and our allies throughout his Administration. And of course, we will be sure to listen to our most important stakeholders, the people of West Virginia.
With this being said, we will not prioritize the needs of the country at the cost of our state. For more than a century, we have shipped our natural resources out of state, and our profit along with it. With this policy, I promise that West Virginia will be the first to benefit from any and all power generation. Today is the day we stop taking the backseat on policy.
We face a new challenge: ensuring America’s lights stay on, its factories keep running, and its future remains bright. We’ve done it for years before, and we’ll do it again. By 2050, when we look back at this moment, we will say with pride that West Virginia answered the call and secured America, both its power and national security.
With courage and conviction, the 50 by 2050 program will transform our state into the global energy powerhouse we were destined to be.