rivers and connect them straight to the utility grids of municipalities all over the state ,” says Chris Miller , President of Dutch Miller Automotive . “ This will aid in dramatically reducing power costs for our people and become foundation of capital and business attraction .”
Starting new hydroelectricity projects requires detailed and thought-out engineering , licensing and maintenance upkeep , and with West Virginia ’ s well-trained workforce , it would create many valuable jobs in the community . Creating this new electricity would not only be used to power cities within the state but could be exported to other parts of the country as well .
With investments both in updating West Virginia ’ s existing hydroelectricity efforts as well as possible new projects , the state can further reduce its carbon footprint , helping alleviate its dependence on things like fossil fuels .
“ The best opportunity for expanding hydropower in West Virginia is to identify existing non-powered dams that are already constructed and determine which ones could most easily and economically be retrofitted to generate power ,” Preservati says .
Some moves have already been made in terms of furthering hydroelectricity . It was announced in 2023 that $ 2,565,041 would be granted to two hydropower facilities in St . Marys and Montgomery through the Hydroelectric Incentives Program ( HIP ). The HIP helps to provide funding for water infrastructures that could be used to generate electricity .
“ West Virginia has an incredible opportunity in front of her . Everything we do in the future will be about power — as we exponentially grow technology you have to have the power to fuel it ,” Miller says . •
A turbine shaft and hydraulics confined in protective guarding .
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