WV agreed to pay $15K a month for energy consulting to pro-data center group in VA

The West Virginia Office of Energy has finalized a consulting services agreement with the Richmond-based Davis Energy & Infrastructure Strategy Group, committing to pay $15,000 monthly, plus an initial $15,000 fee. This contract, obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, tasks the group with providing strategic advisory services on energy infrastructure, economic development, nuclear power generation, supply chain development, data center attraction and siting, and PJM Interconnection governance. The agreement follows a presentation by Glenn Davis, former director of the Virginia Department of Energy, to the West Virginia Public Energy Authority board. Davis advocated for West Virginia's embrace of data center growth and reliance on coal, new gas-fired power, and advanced nuclear development, while downplaying the Virginia Clean Economy Act's focus on renewables. He emphasized West Virginia's "abundant dispatchable energy" and capacity to support large-load industries. West Virginia's strategy to attract data centers is further solidified by recent legislative actions. House Bill 5381, signed by Gov. Patrick Morrisey, eliminated all mention of renewable energy from the state's energy plan and requires coal-fired plants to remain operational through at least 2050, extending their identified end-of-lifespan dates. Additionally, the "controversial" House Bill 2014, requested by Morrisey, fast-tracks data center development by stripping local zoning and regulatory control and shielding developers from public information disclosure. These measures, despite public comments favoring renewable energy, signal West Virginia's clear policy direction.