West Virginia PSC approves major solar power plant

CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Public Service Commission of West Virginia announced on Tuesday the approval of a solar plant that will produce enough energy to power 90,000 homes in Nicholas and Clay counties.

Deep Lake Energy Center, LLC submitted its application on March 25 to build a 150-megawatt solar electric generating facility on a former surface mine, with approval granted on Monday.

As a subsidiary of Shell New Energies US, LLC, the company projects a capital investment of $386 million, which is expected to create over 300 construction jobs. The Commission authorized a joint stipulation between PSC staff and the company’s attorneys, submitted on July 17.

This stipulation outlines that construction will begin within five years and be completed within a decade. The plant will be situated next to a solar project being developed by Nicholas County Solar Project, LLC, which received certification from the Commission in 2022.

Nicholas County Solar is a subsidiary of Savion, LLC, based in Kansas City, MO, and part of Shell New Energies LLC, which is owned by Shell, plc., headquartered in London. According to Deep Lake’s petition, the two projects will connect to an existing 138,000 kilovolt Gilboa-Junes Branch transmission line operated by Monongahela Power Co.

The project will take place on a 1,521-acre reclaimed surface mine, with some areas still being mined. Summersville is located around 11 miles southeast of the site, while the unincorporated communities of Gilboa, Zela, and Drennen are situated roughly 5 miles to the south, and Fola is about 3.5 miles to the west. Deep Lake, based in Kansas City, is a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Savion.

Additional details about this case are available on the PSC website: www.psc.state.wv.us . Navigate to “Case Information” and refer to Case No. 24-0311-E-SCS-PW.