Energy Champion of the Month: Jim Justice
When Winter Storm Fern slammed large parts of the country, it wasn’t ideology that kept the lights on, it was reliability. As demand surged and temperatures plunged, coal-fired power plants carried the load, providing steady baseload electricity when families needed it most. That’s why this month we’re recognizing Senator Jim Justice as our Energy Champion of the Month.
Appearing on Fox News during the storm, Justice cut through the talking points and said what many Americans were experiencing firsthand: it’s time to stop “beating on coal.” While critics have spent years trying to regulate coal out of existence, Winter Storm Fern proved its continued value. Coal plants didn’t depend on perfect weather or ideal conditions. They showed up and delivered.
In West Virginia and across the grid, coal helped stabilize the system at a moment of real stress. That reliability is not theoretical. It means warm homes, functioning hospitals, and communities that aren’t left in the dark during emergencies.
Justice has long been willing to defend energy workers and the resources they produce, even when it’s unpopular in Washington. During Winter Storm Fern, that leadership mattered. While others offered excuses, coal offered power.
Energy policy should be judged by outcomes, not slogans. This winter, the outcome was clear: coal carried the load. Senator Jim Justice stood up and said so, and for that, he earns our recognition as Energy Champion of the Month.
February 6, 2026