FirstEnergy Corp. has announced its intent to build a 1.2 GW natural gas-fired power plant in West Virginia. This combined cycle facility remains in the early stages. State regulators are reviewing an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) that covers the new plant as well as the continued operation of two coal-fired power plants in West Virginia. It wants them to stay online for another decade or more. These are the 1,098-MW coal-fired Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville, West Virginia and the 1,984-MW coal-fired Harrison Power Station in Haywood, West Virginia.

This announcement is part of a broader trend: more natural gas plants being built coupled with the stay of execution on coal plants scheduled for retirement in response to soaring electricity demand, the buildout of massive AI data centers, and the fact that the grid is unable to keep up with the amount of power required.

FirstEnergy plans for this new gas-fired power station to be online by 2031. In addition, the company is adding 70 MW of solar capacity by 2028. These investments into its generation portfolio are vitally needed as the utility is currently buying power to meet rising demand.

“Our Integrated Resource Plan reflects a long-term view of the state’s energy future,” said Jim Myers, FirstEnergy’s president of West Virginia and Maryland. “It is the result of careful analysis and planning—designed to ensure we can continue delivering reliable power while supporting economic development and keeping costs manageable for our customers.”