(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the State of West Virginia has been a major supplier of coal to the electric power industry both within and outside of the State of West Virginia; the congress of the United States is currently considering legislation to limit the emissions of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen from coal fired electric generating plants; the continued use of coal for generating electrical energy can be accomplished in an environmentally acceptable manner through the use of current state of the art and emerging clean coal and clean air technology; it is in the interest of the economy of West Virginia to encourage the use of such technologies for the production of electricity and steam; revenues from the continued production of coal are important to the State of West Virginia and are necessary for the funding of education and other vital state services; the construction of electric utility generation and transmission facilities may continue for many years following the finalization of plans for such facilities; and the prudence of the construction of such facilities may be affected by changing conditions during the extended interval between finalization of plans and completion of construction.
(b) Upon a finding that it is in the public interest of this state, as provided in section one, article one of this chapter, the Public Service Commission shall authorize rate-making allowances for electric utility investment in clean coal and clean air technology facilities or electric utility purchases of power from clean coal technology facilities located in West Virginia which shall provide an incentive to encourage investments in such technology.
(c) For purposes of this section a qualified clean coal or clean air technology facility must use coal produced in West Virginia for no less than seventy-five percent of its fuel requirements.
(d) The Public Service Commission shall determine, at such time and in such proceeding, form and manner as is considered appropriate by the commission, the extent to which any electric utility investment or purchases of power qualify for incentive rate-making pursuant to this section.
Structure West Virginia Code
Chapter 24. Public Service Commission
Article 2. Powers and Duties of Public Service Commission
§24-2-1. Jurisdiction of Commission; Waiver of Jurisdiction
§24-2-1a. Authority of Commission to Enter and Inspect Railroad Property
§24-2-1b. Additional Jurisdiction of Commission
§24-2-1c. Certificates of Need Required for Solid Waste Facilities
§24-2-1d. Future Electric Generating Capacity Requirements
§24-2-1e. Rate Recovery for Construction of Electric Transmission Facilities
§24-2-1f. Jurisdiction of Commission Over Solid Waste Facilities
§24-2-1h. Additional Powers and Duties of Commission to Control Flow of Solid Waste
§24-2-1j. Special Rates for Energy Intensive Industrial Consumers of Electric Power
§24-2-1n. West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program
§24-2-1o. Renewable Energy Facilities Program
§24-2-1p. Middle-Mile Fiber Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program
§24-2-1q. Base Fuel Supply Requirements for Electric Grid Resiliency
§24-2-2. General Power of Commission to Regulate Public Utilities
§24-2-3. General Power of Commission With Respect to Rates
§24-2-3a. Advance Notice of Filing of General Rate Case Required
§24-2-3b. Transitional Suspension of Schedule; Legislative Findings; Procedure
§24-2-3c. Cessation of Jurisdiction Over Rates for Certain Services Subject to Competition
§24-2-4. Procedure for Changing Rates
§24-2-4a. Procedure for Changing Rates After June 30, 1981
§24-2-4d. Procedures for Intrastate Rail Carrier Rate-Making and Compliants
§24-2-4e. Environmental Control Bonds
§24-2-4f. Consumer Rate Relief Bonds
§24-2-6. Power as to Connecting Telephone and Telegraph Services
§24-2-11. Requirements for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
§24-2-11b. Continuing Prudence Reviews
§24-2-13. Enforcement of Federal Acts
§24-2-15. Automatic Adjustment Clauses or Fuel Adjustment Clauses Prohibited
§24-2-16. Anticompetitive Clauses in Natural Gas Contracts Prohibited
§24-2-19. Integrated Resource Planning Required