Gov. Morrisey Touts Progress on '50 by 50' Energy Plan

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey provided updates on his '50 by 50' energy plan in early August 2026, speaking at an energy summit and separately addressing the Gas and Oil Association's Summer Meeting at the Greenbrier. The plan calls for increasing the state's power grid capacity from 16 gigawatts to 50 gigawatts by 2050. Morrisey said House Bill 5381 codified the initiative, which he credited with building momentum for the state's coal and natural gas industries. He cited recent energy investment announcements, including the Mon Power Fort Martin project and Dominion Energy's plan for a 2.6-gigawatt plant at Mount Storm, as evidence of progress. Morrisey stated that 18 months earlier the state had no combined-cycle natural gas plant commitments, but has since seen multiple major energy commitments materialize. The governor's remarks reflect his characterization of the plan's trajectory as of early August 2026; independent verification of specific investment figures, project timelines, or the current legislative status of House Bill 5381 was not included in the available reporting. Further details on how these announced projects will contribute toward the 2050 grid capacity goal remain unspecified.