Hancock County Commissioners heard promising economic development news at their Thursday, Dec. 14th meeting. Officials from Tenaska, a carbon capture and storage company, outlined the plans they have to establish a tri-state carbon, capture and storage hub in the tri-state region. Scott Murray of Tenaska explained that the company is a private, independent energy company founded in Omaha, Nebraska in 1987. Its expertise is in natural gas and electric power marketing, energy management development and acquisition of energy assets and operation of generation facilities.
The firm already has established an office in Weirton and is engaging with businesses, communities and landowners to develop a carbon capture and storage hub in the region.
According to Murray, the project will help manufacturers, business, energy producers and other carbon emitters in meeting current and future emission rules and remain operational and competitive.
A power point presentation given by Murray said there would be three components to the Tri-State CCS Hub: Tri-State CCS Rosebud would be located in Hancock, Brooke and Marshall Counties while the Ohio while the Buckeye Hub would be located in Carroll, Harrison and Jefferson counties in Ohio and the Oak Grove Hub would be located in Washington County.. The goal is to have the project operational in 2927
“We are proposing to develop storage spaces deep underground to permanently store CO2 from regional business,” said Murray. “Each space would be 10,000 – 15,000 acres of pore space deep underground, with 3-4 above ground injection wells. A small pipeline network would connect the emitters to the storage space.”
Murray said the company would be looking a 7 well sites in Hancock County with 372 jobs and a payroll of $75 million.
In other business, the Commissioners:
**Approved general budget revision #2 for fiscal year 2023/24;
**Approved a letter of support for the Miracle League of the Northern Ohio Valley Panhandle’s application for a West Virginia Economic Enhancement Grant;
**Tabled a proposal to approve the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office Chain of Command;
**Tabled consideration to approve the Hancock County Deputy Sheriff Civil Service Commission organizational plan for July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024;
**A Memorandum of Understanding between the Hancock County Commission and the City of Weirton regarding the upcoming election was tabled until details were worked out;
**The PayCom Exit strategy was approved;
**Approval was given to enter into a contractual agreement with the West Virginia Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority;
**Approval was given to the Summation of Memorandum of Agreement between Hancock County and Water and Land Solutions,
