CHARLESTON â A recent study commissioned by the West Virginia Coal Association and conducted by the West Virginia University Bureau for Business and Economic Research, shows in 2019 the coal mining industry and coal-fired power plants generated approximately $14 billion in economic activity for the state. The industries supported 17% of the stateâs total economic output or one out of every six dollars generated, the study showed. For context, total economic output for the state (GDP) was around $77 billion. âThis study clearly points out the significance of West Virginia coal to our economy and state,â said West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton. âWe hope more people realize we have a special coal-based electric power system second to none. We have a very sophisticated fuel supply and electric generating infrastructure in West Virginia which is both reliable and low cost. We have among the lowest cost electric rates in our region and equally important today is the fact that our system offers superior advantages with the secured delivery of household and industrial power. Our state plants, like our modern coal mining facilities, are also state-of-the-art and represent the cleanest, most efficient coal plants in the world that provide thousands of opportunities for high-tech and highly skilled workers.â