Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Trade Tariffs Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senator says give new administration time; urges West Virginia energy expansion to meet rising demand
Summary
An unnamed senator told a public forum that it is premature to conclude overseas markets are closing to West Virginia energy because of recent tariff actions, and warned the state must expand energy production and grid capacity to meet potentially much higher future demand.
An unnamed senator told a public forum on Oct. 27, 2025, it is “so premature” to assume overseas markets are shutting down to West Virginia energy amid recent tariff-related disruptions and urged giving President Trump time to adjust policy.
The senator said tariffs could be “a very, very, very great tool in the tool chest” and argued that the new administration, led by a business-oriented president, will “adjust when adjusting needs to be made.”
Why it matters: the senator framed energy expansion as central to economic growth and to meeting future electricity needs. “With absolutely cleaning up the network and making it absolutely functional on the grid, if we don't absolutely bring more energy to the table, we're gonna have a demand for energy like you can't possibly imagine,” the senator said, adding it “could very well be an electricity demand of double what it is today.”
The exchange began when a moderator asked whether overseas markets might be closing to West Virginia energy because of tariff-related turmoil. The moderator referenced a timeframe suggested earlier in the day and asked how much time the state’s energy industry has to arrange deals.
The senator responded that the country has “a year and a half” to make difficult decisions and prepare, and emphasized that growth depends on energy. “The ticket to growing ... is energy, energy, energy, period,” the senator said.
The senator repeatedly invoked coal as a baseload fuel alongside nuclear and praised named political figures as competent to manage energy policy; the senator also said local leaders should focus on cleaning and modernizing the grid to increase usable capacity.
No formal actions or votes were recorded on trade or energy policy in the transcript. Remarks about market access and timelines were presented as the senator’s assessment rather than a binding commitment by any government agency.
Looking ahead, the senator urged patience with the administration’s approach to tariffs and stressed preparation by industry and grid operators to meet potential large increases in electricity demand.
