Electricity in West Virginia in 2024/2025
In West Virginia, the current state of electricity consumption reveals an overwhelming reliance on fossil fuels. With fossil energy making up about 92% of the total electricity mix from June 2024 to May 2025, the dependency on coal is stark, contributing to more than 85% alone. Gas supports an additional 7% of this fossil energy consumption. In contrast, low-carbon energy sources—a cleaner and more sustainable option—are significantly underrepresented, accounting for approximately 8% of electricity generation. Wind power contributes about 4%, and hydropower adds a little under 3% to the state's electricity, highlighting a pressing need to expand these low-carbon sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change and air pollution.
Is Electricity Growing in West Virginia?
West Virginia's electricity consumption is not seeing the growth that might be expected in a world increasingly transitioning to electrification. In fact, the current electricity consumption per person is around 28,900 kWh, which represents a decline of over 22,500 kWh compared to the peak in 2005, where per-capita consumption hit approximately 51,400 kWh. Although there has been a slight uptick in low-carbon electricity generation, with a modest increase from 2,111 kWh/person to 2,177 kWh/person recently reported for 2025, this growth is not sufficient to offset the overall decline in electricity use. This stagnation presents a concern given the critical need for increased electricity generation and consumption, particularly from low-carbon sources, as the state navigates toward a more sustainable energy future.
Suggestions
To boost low-carbon electricity generation, West Virginia should consider strategies and insights from successful regions. For example, states like Iowa and South Dakota have significantly scaled up their wind energy production to over 60% of their electricity generation. Similarly, countries like France have established robust nuclear energy infrastructure, delivering close to 70% of their electricity from this clean source. Emulating these examples, West Virginia could prioritize the expansion of wind energy, leveraging its geographical potential, and consider investing in nuclear energy, which has proven to be an effective and reliable low-carbon energy source in many regions worldwide. Enhancing both solar and nuclear capacities could drive a significant transformation towards a sustainable and resilient electricity infrastructure.
History
Historically, West Virginia's development of low-carbon electricity sources has seen modest growth, primarily in wind and hydroelectric power. From the mid-2000s onwards, there were periods of growth in wind energy, notably around 2009, where it surged by about 0.4 TWh. However, this has been interspersed with minor declines, as seen in 2019 and 2021, highlighting an overall sporadic progress. Hydropower experienced occasional fluctuations, with some years like 2014 witnessing a decline of 0.5 TWh. Despite these oscillations, there have been gains as well; for instance, in the late 2010s, hydropower added back some capacity. While these changes reflect attempts to increase low-carbon capabilities, they underscore a need for a more consistent and ambitious strategy to significantly enhance the state’s clean electricity generation, particularly leveraging solar and nuclear energy.