Industrial energy demand is outpacing the grid's ability to supply it - a national challenge that is especially acute in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. Most regional industries already cite unreliable power as their most pressing concern, and demand is projected to exceed supply within the next decade, threatening jobs and economic stability.

The NSF RETI Engine in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, led by West Virginia University, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and U.S. Research Impact Alliance, is strengthening industrial grid resilience and energy efficiency to help the region's energy supply keep pace.

West Virginia and western Pennsylvania are home to the nation's second-largest energy-producing economy and a concentration of energy-intensive industries, research institutions, and skilled workers. Backed by more than $160 million in committed partner funding, the NSF RETI Engine is advancing digital twins for grid management, grid-scale energy storage, cyber-secure control systems, and microgrids, while expanding training programs that prepare workers for these industries. Together, these efforts are poised to strengthen U.S. energy security and support durable industrial growth across the region.