2026 West Virginia Energy Summit

Welcome to the 2026 West Virginia Energy Summit!

Join us November 11-12 in Charleston for two days of connection, collaboration, and insight into the future of energy in West Virginia.

• November 11: Kick things off with an evening panel and networking reception! It's an opportunity to meet fellow attendees, make new connections, and set the stage for the discussions to come.
• November 12: Participate in a full day of programming, featuring expert panels, breakout sessions, and conversations with industry leaders, policymakers, and energy stakeholders from across the state.

This in-person event offers a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, exploring innovation, and helping shape the state's energy future.

Register now and secure your spot!

Info: Present your ticket at the registration table to receive your Summit lanyard, which provides access to all Energy Summit sessions, receptions, and activities.

Info: Nicholas S. Preservati, Deputy Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Commerce and Director of the West Virginia Office of Energy, will welcome attendees and open the 2026 West Virginia Energy Summit.

Info: More information will be provided as each speaker is finalized.

Info: Kick off the 2026 West Virginia Energy Summit with an evening of networking, refreshments, and live music from jazz pianist Bob Thompson. Join fellow attendees, speakers, and policymakers as we celebrate the start of this year's event in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

Info: Didn’t register the night before? Stop by the registration table to check in and receive your Summit lanyard. If you’ve already registered, simply wear your lanyard for seamless entry into all sessions and activities.

Info: Join us in celebrating the contributions of women across West Virginia’s energy sector. This event offers an opportunity to connect with industry leaders, colleagues, and emerging professionals while recognizing this year’s Women in Energy “Woman of the Year” Award recipient.

Info: West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey shares his vision for the state's energy future, highlighting key priorities, recent accomplishments, emerging opportunities, and West Virginia's role in strengthening energy reliability, affordability, and economic growth.

Info: As digital infrastructure expands across the country, data center development offers transformative opportunities for local economies. However, realizing those benefits requires open dialogue, strategic planning, and genuine local alignment. Join industry leaders for an insightful discussion on how proactive community engagement, local job creation, and responsible resource management ensure data center projects deliver lasting, positive value. Panelists will share real-world strategies for listening to neighborhood priorities, addressing public concerns transparently, and building true partnerships, demonstrating how the right data center project can strengthen and support its host community.

Info: Take a short break to recharge, network with fellow attendees, and visit exhibitor tables before sessions resume.

Info: Please see each track's agenda for more information.

Info: Enjoy lunch while networking with fellow attendees and speakers before afternoon sessions begin.

Info: Please see each track's agenda for more information.

Info: Join Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Lindsay See for a conversation on the evolving energy landscape, federal regulatory priorities, and the challenges and opportunities shaping grid reliability, energy infrastructure, and the nation's energy future.

Info: Take a moment to recharge and connect with fellow attendees before the final sessions of the day. Refreshments will be available.

Info: More information will be provided as each speaker is finalized.

Info: Nicholas S. Preservati, Deputy Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Commerce and Director of the West Virginia Office of Energy, will deliver final comments and close the 2026 West Virginia Energy Summit.

Info: While thermal coal powers domestic electric grids, West Virginia's premium metallurgical coal remains a critical ingredient for global steelmaking. However, met coal producers are navigating an increasingly complex commercial landscape shaped by global trade volatility and rising production costs. In this panel, executive leadership from three premier West Virginia metallurgical coal producers come together to address the operational and market pressures impacting southern and central Appalachian operations.

Info: Unlocking economic growth requires matching developer needs with the right location, a process historically hindered by fragmented land data. Researchers from West Virginia University present a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind spatial analysis tool that allows state officials and site selectors to search and evaluate every property parcel in West Virginia. Initially engineered by WVU to analyze land availability across 22 coalfield counties, the tool's capability was expanded statewide through funding from the West Virginia Office of Energy. The platform synthesizes complex geographic and infrastructure layers, including acreage, elevation, slope, solar irradiance, and proximity to rail, water, electricity, natural gas, and major highways. Attendees will learn how this tool is transforming site selection, helping communities leverage local assets, and accelerating targeted economic development across the state.

Info: West Virginia’s energy landscape is expanding rapidly, from traditional generation and grid modernization to advanced manufacturing and the data economy. Staying ahead requires a skilled, adaptable workforce. Join industry executives, education leaders, and state officials for a fast-paced panel on innovative training initiatives, public-private partnerships, and actionable strategies to recruit, upskill, and retain Mountain State talent.

Info: Currently, West Virginia exports 92% of its natural gas to other states and countries, helping grow their economies and create jobs. High-wage manufacturing jobs in the Carolinas are supported by West Virginia energy. This panel, moderated by Greg Kozera of Shale Crescent USA, will discuss how those types of jobs can be created here in West Virginia using our abundant natural gas reserves.

Info: The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) brings a national and multi-state perspective to examine the rapidly shifting policy environment shaping America's energy future. This presentation will explore how key federal legislation, state-level energy initiatives, and evolving market demands intersect to impact energy producers, utilities, and businesses nationwide.

Info: As electricity demand shifts and new power resources come online, transmission expansion has become a central focus of regional energy planning. However, public perception often paints new high-voltage transmission lines as passive corridors that only benefit generation sources at one end and urban demand centers at the other. In this session, a representative from PJM Interconnection disproves that myth. By mitigating localized grid congestion, transmission lines allow power plants within a state to operate closer to their full capacity, ensuring local generation isn't throttled due to bottlenecked regional lines. Beyond unlocking local power output, PJM will outline why bulk transmission infrastructure is essential for maintaining overall grid resilience, preventing wide-scale outages during extreme weather, and ensuring every home and business receives dependable, uninterrupted electric service.

Info: West Virginia's energy sector has long shaped the state's economy, communities, workforce, and identity. Today, decisions surrounding its future span a wide spectrum of issues, including the ongoing role of coal, oil, and natural gas, the emergence of renewables and nuclear energy, grid reliability, job availability, household energy costs, and the health, environmental, and security considerations of different technologies. To better understand public priorities across these complex choices, the West Virginia Office of Energy commissioned a statewide study on public opinions regarding our energy future. In this session, researchers from the Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs at WVU present the survey's findings. The data reveal a clear consensus: West Virginians continue to have strong, foundational support for traditional coal and natural gas production, but simultaneously express broad support for diverse energy development, provided the right safeguards are in place.

Info: As data centers rapidly expand, state and local leaders face a critical policy balancing act: capturing transformative economic benefits while safeguarding host communities. This panel examines the three vital pillars of responsible data center policy—tax structures, water stewardship, and grid integration—offering actionable insights for public officials and industry stakeholders.

Info: More information will be provided as each speaker is finalized.

Info: More information will be provided as each speaker is finalized.

Info: More information will be provided as each speaker is finalized.

Info: As energy demand is forcing new generation on the grid, modern nuclear energy presents a compelling, high-paying economic engine for states to consider. However, stepping into the nuclear sector requires addressing public questions, particularly around fuel handling, storage, and long-term waste management. This educational primer breaks down the entire nuclear lifecycle into accessible terms, demystifying everything from fuel production and power generation to interim storage, advanced manufacturing and recycling technologies, and disposal protocols.

Info: In this session, the West Virginia Office of Energy provides an inside look at how state-managed U.S. Department of Energy federal grant programs are being deployed to strengthen local infrastructure, lower household utility burdens, and spur economic opportunity. The WVOE will cover four pillar funding streams administered by the WVOE: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), Home Energy Rebate Programs (HOMES and HEAR), Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund (EERLF), and the West Virginia Resilience Planning Project (WVRPP).

Event venue & nearby stays

Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center, 200 Civic Center Drive, Charleston, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

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