PS Energy to extend natural gas service in Preston County

PS Energy Group has been contracted to extend natural gas service to a new industrial site in Hazelton, West Virginia, expanding infrastructure tied to Preston County’s long-running energy network. The project is meant to help attract business expansion and relocation, with completion expected before the end of 2026.

Why it matters: - The extension adds utility infrastructure to Preston County’s new industrial site on the former TAZ Hardwoods sawmill property in Hazelton. - The project is designed to improve the county’s ability to compete for manufacturers and other businesses that need natural gas access. - The work supports future economic development by expanding service beyond the existing industrial park network.

What happened: - Preston County Economic Development Authority contracted PS Energy Group to extend the county’s natural gas service. - Construction began Sept. 21, 2026, and crews started onsite work Nov. 2, 2026. - The project is expected to be completed before the end of 2026. - The work is being funded through a multi-million Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization grant secured by the PCEDA.

The details: - PS Energy first built natural gas pipeline infrastructure in Preston County in 2000 to serve the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ Federal Correctional Complex Hazelton. - That original project was followed by service to businesses in the adjoining industrial park. - The new extension will build on that existing infrastructure to support additional commercial and industrial development. - PS Energy’s broader background includes its first natural gas infrastructure project in Yazoo City, Mississippi, which has served the Federal Correctional Complex there since 1996. - The AMLER program is administered nationally by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. - The program funds projects that return former coal-mining land to productive economic use. - Since 2016, AMLER has supported more than 300 projects across Appalachia and tribal lands.

Between the lines: - Natural gas access remains a key site-selection factor for manufacturers, making utility expansion a practical economic development tool. - The county is leveraging a federal redevelopment grant to turn former industrial land into a more marketable business location. - The project also deepens a 26-year relationship between PS Energy and Preston County.

What’s next: - PS Energy and the Preston County Economic Development Authority will finish the pipeline extension by year-end. - The county will use the added utility capacity to market the site to expanding and relocating businesses. - More industrial and commercial development could follow if companies choose the Hazelton site.

The bottom line: - Preston County is using a new natural gas extension to turn an old industrial property into a growth-ready site for future business investment. - The project extends PS Energy’s long-running role in the county’s energy infrastructure.