Longview Power adds significantly to the regional economies of Morgantown, West Virginia and the surrounding Northern Appalachian region. Longview Power and its affiliates employ over 150 people, with a total payroll and benefits of over $22 million per year, and provide competitive salaries and benefits. The typical skilled position pays an average of $60,000 a year, over 15% above the national average and over 55% above West Virginia’s average.
Longview Power and its affiliates collectively contribute about $5 million in annual taxes and PILOT payments as of 2017. They also use locally sourced coal and limestone, and purchase over $95 million per year in goods and services from local and regional vendors, providing substantial support for the local economy.
Longview’s best-in-class heat rate (efficiency), low-cost fuel source and other project efficiencies combine to produce the lowest cost of dispatch (delivery of electricity) of any coal-fired plant in the 13-State PJM Interconnection, and is among the lowest in the world.
Along with being the lowest-cost provider, Longview has consistently operated at a heat rate of 8750 btu/kwh, making it the most efficient coal fired power plant in North America. Moreover, the plant runs at a capacity factor in excess of 85%.
Longview Power includes best-in-class air pollution control systems that effectively maintain emissions well below its environmental permit limits, which are among the most stringent in the nation for coal plants. Furthermore, Longview’s CO2 output is 15% better than industry average CO2 output. Longview was certified by the West Virginia Public Service Commission to have the lowest CO2 emissions of any coal-fired plant in West Virginia.
In 2015, the facility increased the SO2 removal capacity of its wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system to achieve up to 99.5% removal of SO2 and increased the size of its pulse jet fabric filter system to achieve greater than 99% removal of particulate matter. Moreover, Longview is fully compliant with the new federal Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (“MATS”), with emissions well below than the permitted limits.
Longview Power further limits environmental impacts by minimizing its water requirements and efficiently using and reusing water, with no discharges to surface waters.