Blackstone, through funds affiliated with Blackstone Energy Transition Partners, announced a $1.2 billion investment to build Wolf Summit Energy (Wolf Summit), a fully contracted, 600-megawatt greenfield combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power generation facility in Harrison County, West Virginia.
Last week’s Final Investment Decision (FID) provides financing for the project, allowing it to commence construction.
Wolf Summit will be the first-ever combined-cycle natural gas power plant built in West Virginia and is designed to help deliver efficient and reliable power to meet the growing local energy needs – including from data centers supporting AI innovation – of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC), which serves approximately 1.5 million residents across Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. The project is expected to create 500 construction jobs, as well as spur additional local economic development.
Bilal Khan, a Senior Managing Director, and Mark Zhu, a Managing Director, at Blackstone, said: “Helping meet the rising demand for electricity from AI and other areas is among our highest conviction investment themes at Blackstone. We are proud that this project is expected to not only create hundreds of local jobs in West Virginia, but also generate more affordable, efficient and reliable power supply.”
- Project Expected to Create 500 Construction Jobs, Spur Local Economic Development
- Will Help Meet Rising Electricity Demand from Growing Economy and AI/Data Center Innovation
“I am excited that the first-ever combined-cycle, natural gas power plant in West Virginia is being built using GE Vernova’s highly efficient and flexible 7HA.02 gas turbine that can provide capacity and energy for the rising AI and industrialization demands in PJM,” said Dave Ross, President & CEO, GE Vernova’s Gas Power business in the Americas. “We look forward to working closely with Blackstone to complete development and start construction of this important project for the community.”
“West Virginia's status as a global energy player is only beginning to be realized. Blackstone's $1.2 billion investment not only signifies its commitment to West Virginia, it highlights our emergence as the leading state in the country for energy growth and investment,” said Governor Morrisey.
