By Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, retired guest commentary
For The Register-Herald
National security doesn’t begin at the Pentagon. It begins at the factories and power lines that keep America’s defense industry running. It begins right here in West Virginia.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense’s “Defense Spending by State” report, companies operating in West Virginia receive more than $1 billion annually in defense contract obligations in some recent years, supporting aerospace manufacturing, advanced materials and other critical elements of the U.S. defense supply chain.
These operations require precision engineering, advanced manufacturing and one basic ingredient above all: reliable electricity.
When their power stops, production stops. Sensitive materials can be ruined. Equipment must be reset. Timelines slip. In the defense world, those disruptions ripple far beyond a single facility, affecting national supply chains and military readiness.
Unfortunately, West Virginia’s electric grid faces challenges. Much of the region’s transmission system was built decades ago for a different era of electricity demand. Today, aging infrastructure, growing power needs and increasingly severe weather events place greater stress on the system.
Modern transmission solves these problems in several ways. Stronger high-voltage lines allow power to move quickly from one region to another during equipment failures or storms. They stabilize voltage, reduce the risk of cascading outages and give grid operators more flexibility to keep the lights on.
For states hoping to attract the next generation of manufacturing, including defense and aerospace industries, these improvements are not optional. They are essential infrastructure.
The Pentagon is already investing heavily in technologies such as advanced propulsion, next-generation materials and AI-driven manufacturing. These industries demand enormous amounts of electricity and require exceptionally reliable power quality. Companies deciding where to locate new facilities will look closely at whether the grid can support those needs.
West Virginia’s advantages include a skilled workforce, a proud manufacturing tradition and proximity to major East Coast defense installations. Without reliable power, these advantages are stifled. Opportunity only becomes reality when the infrastructure is ready.
Strengthening our electric grid is not simply about convenience or even economic development. It is about ensuring that West Virginia can play its continued role in building and sustaining America’s defense capabilities.
Reliable power keeps factories running, workers employed and supply chains intact. In a very real sense, it keeps the nation secure.
That is an investment worth making.
Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, retired, is former adjutant general of West Virginia.
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