W. Va. consumers could benefit from gas-fired power plant
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Natural gas has become a preferred fuel for electricity generation due to its abundance, cost and environmental impact, according to Daily Mail WV.
More than 25 new gas-fired electric generation facilities have been built in and around the Mid-Atlantic region in the past five years and several more are under construction. However, none have been built in West Virginia, who still accounts for 92% of its electricity generation from coal-fired electric power plants.
Incidentally, a change could be on the horizon as a proposal by Longview Power to construct and operate a 1,200-megawatt gas-fired combined-cycle power plant near Morgantown is currently under review by the West Virginia Public Service Commission. If approved the facility could lower electricity costs, facilitate industrial growth and utilize the abundance of natural gas within the state.
Learn more: Daily Mail WV > Energy Matters: Longview Power’s gas-fired power plant project would benefit WV consumers
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.