DTE hopes to move another plant from Consol's Bishop Mine near Bluefield to Massey Energy's Elk Run mining complex in Sylvester. DTE completed its acquisition of six coal synfuel plants from the MCN Energy Group Inc. last Tuesday. Kent L. McCarger, DTE Energy's vice president and chief financial officer, said he believes synfuel plants will help the Mountain State. Synfuels will help replace Wyoming coal with West Virginia coal. It makes West Virginia coal more competitive.
Lower prices create a more competitive product with oil and gas.
That would reduce energy dependence. But critics argue that synfuel procedures used by DTE Energy and Electric Fuels disrupt coal markets throughout central Appalachia, while doing nothing at all to cut oil imports. Coal is already much cheaper than oil and natural gas. And they do nothing to help satisfy our nation's energy needs. Hundreds of subsidies, introduced with the best of intentions, have survived mainly due to lethargy and congressional inaction.