Guess & Co. Plans 1.55 GW Coal, Gas Plants in WV
Utilities and coal suppliers in West Virginia should track a 2032 timeline for integrated mining and generation.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Utilities
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Denver-based Guess & Co. plans a 1.45-gigawatt coal-fired power plant with carbon capture in West Virginia, plus a separate 100-megawatt natural gas plant, for a combined 1.55 gigawatts. The company says the project targets commercial operations by 2032, which matters for utilities, coal suppliers and contractors watching large generation buildouts in the state.
Why it matters
Guess & Co. has bought the Laurita Properties for $3 billion, giving it control of coal resources and oil and gas wells that feed the power project. Vertically integrating mining and generation in one corporate structure is a strategy that shifts procurement and supply exposure toward a single owner.
The planned 1.55 gigawatts of combined generation would be supported by a $3 billion acquisition of roughly 7,300 acres across Clay, Kanawha and Wetzel counties. Guess & Co. estimates the properties hold 500 million tons of coal, and the mining operation is projected to employ about 750 people once fully developed.
The players
Guess & Co.
Denver-based company pursuing vertically integrated coal mining and power generation in West Virginia, with a $3 billion acquisition of the Laurita Properties.
Guess & Co. Power
Subsidiary that will develop and operate the generating facilities in the project.
Guess & Co. Bituminous
Subsidiary that will develop and operate the mining operations supplying coal to the project.
The details
Subsidiary Guess & Co. Power will develop and operate the generating facilities, while subsidiary Guess & Co. Bituminous will run the mining operations that supply coal to the plant. Carbon capture and storage is included in the coal plant design. The properties also contain about 40 oil and natural gas wells, and the company holds 164 acres of surface land in Clay County designated for the power development.
Timeline
June 24: FERC market-based rate authorization took effect for the project.
2032: Targeted commercial operations for the power project.
Market Landscape
The project extends a pattern of coal-and-gas generation pursued by developers seeking to control fuel supply, and the FERC market-based rate step is the regulatory gate that lets such a plant sell into wholesale markets. Guess & Co. is positioning the Laurita Properties as a long-term fuel base for generation that could eventually reach 5 gigawatts across its West Virginia holdings.
Utilities and industrial buyers in West Virginia should track how this project affects regional wholesale power supply and coal procurement. Contractors and suppliers in mining and power construction should watch for the 750 projected mining jobs and the 2032 operational timeline.
The takeaway
The strategy is vertical integration, with a single owner controlling coal reserves and generation capacity, which changes how fuel and power risk is allocated. Operators should watch for the project's permit and interconnection milestones and factor the 2032 timeline into long-term energy contracts, with questions on those terms referred to qualified counsel or an energy advisor.
Further reading
For more on how generation projects like this one are reshaping the state's grid, see Utilities coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ColoradoBiz.
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