Former coalfield in Western MD getting solar energy

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved an agreement Wednesday to utilize solar energy in a Western Maryland former coal district, representing a fundamental difference in state and federal energy priorities.

“What is indisputable in all this is that clean-energy projects that are ready to go right now are the ones that are also the ones most directly under attack by this federal administration, who is using energy policy like an ideology, who is not allowing data — nor science — to be able to lead the conversation but just simply internet conspiracy theories and talking points,” Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, said at an Annapolis meeting Wednesday. 

The Board of Public Works approved a long-term, $470 million solar power purchase agreement with REV Renewables, a clean-energy generation and storage company, slated to provide 250,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy via the Jade Meadow III Solar Project located on the reclaimed Lower Georges Creek Coalfield in Garrett County.

Moore said the coalfield had been “periodically” used for mining operations since the 1800s but shuttered in the early 2000s, “mainly because of the costs.”

The Jade Meadow III Solar Project is currently active on the PJM Interconnection queue and anticipated to be functional for state energy accounts by 2028. Maryland is one of 13 states connected to PJM’s power grid, which also covers Washington, D.C.

The 20-year power purchase agreement is slated to save the state $300 million and provide enough renewable electricity to power nearly 15% of Maryland’s portfolio starting in 2028, officials said.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Moore said the agreement will aid in strengthening the grid and lower Maryland’s skyrocketing utility costs.

“This agenda item will make sure that we are utilizing all the various assets that are necessary … to provide relief while also making sure that we can have a grid that is fortified and a grid that is sustainable because in order to strengthen the grid while also lowering costs, we have to focus on renewable energy, and that is not because it’s an ideology,” he said.

“It’s because renewable energy is the cleanest, and it’s also the cheapest and the fastest way for us to be able to sustain energy here inside the state of Maryland.”

The approval of the purchase agreement comes two months after President Donald Trump announced that millions in federal funds will be funneled toward restarting the AES Warrior Run coal plant in Allegany County. Warrior Run is a 229-megawatt facility in Cumberland that shuttered in June 2024. 

The president’s actions were made possible through the invocation of the Defense Production ⁠Act — a Cold War-era defense power that gives presidents authority over national security-related industries.

“Our action will allow these facilities to invest in upgrades, will extend their operational lives for decades into the future, reinforce the reliability of our electric grid … and, most importantly, keep our electricity prices very low for the American people,” Trump said at the time of the announcement. 

Maryland Republicans celebrated Trump’s actions as a step toward increasing Maryland’s energy supply. But the president’s preference for coal and other fossil fuels conflicts with Maryland Democrats’ commitment to shift to green energy generation.

In 2024, Moore issued an executive order setting a goal of 100% clean energy in Maryland by 2035. The policy dovetails with the state’s Climate Pollution Reduction Plan, which will require that 100% of energy consumed in Maryland be generated by clean and renewable sources by 2035.

According to the state Department of the Environment’s website, the Climate Pollution Reduction Plan is poised to provide up to $1.2 billion in public health benefits, $2.5 billion in increased personal income and a net 27,400 jobs by 2031.

“The Administration’s stated goals are unattainable without purchasing renewable energy,” reads the Board of Public Works’ meeting agenda item brought by the Maryland Department of General Services reads.