West Virginia Senate Passes Microgrid and Budget Bills

The West Virginia Senate passed House Bill 2014 to promote microgrid development and data center growth in the state.

• House Bill 2014 establishes a Certified Microgrid Program within the Division of Economic Development to attract data centers powered by microgrids.
• The bill allocates property tax revenue generated by the program: 50% to Personal Income Tax Reduction Fund, 40% to the county hosting the data center, 5% distributed per capita to all counties, 3% to Low Income Energy Assistance Program, and 2% to a power grid stabilization fund.
• The Department of Commerce Secretary is authorized to certify microgrid districts based on significant positive economic impact.
• The fiscal year 2026 budget totals $5.3 billion with detailed allocations to various state departments including $7.9 million to the Department of Environmental Protection.
• The budget includes special revenue appropriations totaling $12 million for various state services and $33 million for the Hope Scholarship from General and Lottery Revenue Funds.

This legislation supports infrastructure modernization through microgrids and data center development, with budget provisions reflecting state priorities for economic development and energy programs.