CHARLESTON — A project to bring a new natural gas-fired power plant to West Virginia that will capture its own emissions for underground storage is moving forward in Doddridge County. 

Maryland-based Competitive Power Ventures confirmed that Doddridge County will be home to a new 1,800 megawatt combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant that will also use carbon capture and sequestration to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) project – called the Shay Energy Center in honor of the Shay No. 5 train engine at the Cass Scenic Railroad — is expected to be completed in the next 10 years near West Union in Doddridge County. The total investment by CPV is expected to exceed $3 billion and create up to 2,000 construction jobs, as many as 150 full-time jobs, and provide electricity for more than 2 million homes in West Virginia and the surrounding region. 

“CPV is pleased to announce the selection of Doddridge County and looks forward to working with its leaders to advance this monumental project in the coming years,” said Peter Podurgiel, executive vice president of project development for CPV. “The county has been extremely professional and receptive to the CPV Shay project which represents a key pillar in CPV’s vision for a reliable low carbon future.” 

The company first announced the project in a September press conference in Charleston. Doddridge County was the rumored location for the CPV project, but company officials would not confirm that at the time. The county is already a hub for natural gas activity. Both the Doddridge County Commission and the Doddridge County Board of Education approved a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement with CPV. 

“This is an outstanding day for Doddridge County,” said Shawn Glaspell, president of the Doddridge County Commission. “We are so glad that Competitive Power Ventures chose Doddridge County for this innovative project, and we look forward to continuing to work with this forward-thinking company.” 

“CPV’s decision to site this project in Doddridge County is a game changer,” said Jennifer Wilt, Director of the Doddridge County Economic Development Authority. “This investment will not only create a large number of jobs during construction but will also support high-paying careers for a generation to come as this area becomes a key player in the country’s decarbonization efforts.” 

CPV has nine projects, including wind and solar projects and six natural gas power plant projects, but the Shay Energy Center is their most ambitious project to date. Once completed, the plant will be a wholesale energy provider on the PJM interconnection market serving multiple states on the east coast. 

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., attended the September CPV announcement. The company credits Manchin and the $737 billion Inflation Reduction Act and the 45Q tax credits for carbon capture and sequestration projects. The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden in August. 

“This investment showcases the positive impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act for our great state, including long-term, good-paying jobs,” Manchin said. “Doddridge County took another step in the right direction to solidify CPV’s investment in the Mountain State by approving a payment in lieu of taxes agreement, and I look forward to seeing the benefits of this partnership in the years to come.” 

Changes made to the 45Q tax credit include the dollar amount per ton for storage in saline geologic formations, utilization by industrial and power projects. The credit is good for 12 years after the project is completed and goes online. Any project that begins construction by 2033 would be eligible for the tax credits. 

The Inflation Reduction Act also allows the tax credit to be received by eligible companies as a fully refundable direct payment and that option is only good for five years after the project goes online for for-profit companies. To qualify for the credit, companies must capture at least 75% of their greenhouse gas emissions.