Purchasing agreement signed for Pleasants Power Station

SAINT MARYS, W.Va. (WTAP) – A purchasing agreement has officially been signed for the Pleasants Power Station, according to Pleasants County Commission President Jay Powell.

The purchasing agreement has recently been signed by California-based Omnis Fuel Technologies.

The purchase agreement has been signed by Omnis Technologies, Texas-based Energy Transition and Environmental Management (ETEM), and Energy Harbor.

ETEM is the current owner and purchased the power station in December 2022.

The plant will be retrofitted to produce electricity through the fuel source of hydrogen, according to Powell.

Omnis Technologies originally signed a letter of intent to purchase the power plant on June 7, 2023.

Powell said this is not only a significant milestone for the county and state but will add more to what the plant puts out.

“The purchase agreement being signed is a gigantic milestone for the plant, for the Mid-Ohio Valley, for the state of West Virginia for lots of reasons,” Powell said. “Obviously, the jobs are going to continue and maybe even increase by 10 to 15 percent. Also, the coal industry, we continue to utilize it. And it’ll certainly thrive with their new technology. And the fact that it’s going to be green and carbon emission free is a win-win.”

The agreement still needs to be approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Allegheny First Energy.

Powell said the retrofitting of the Pleasants Power Station will take roughly 12 to 24 months to complete the transition. He added this will also be the time it will take to train the workers at the plant for this change.

Powell wants to thank W.Va. Governor, Jim Justice and other state officials for helping keep the plant going.

Copyright 2023 WTAP. All rights reserved.