Our Heritage & Our Hope: Powering West Virginia’s Future Together
Hope Gas isn’t just a utility—we’re a committed partner rooted in West Virginia’s past and invested in its future. With deep local ties and decades of experience, we’re driving progress across the Mountain State with purpose and pride.
From hands-on volunteerism to funding vital initiatives in education, safety, environmental care, and community well-being, our commitment runs deep. And we’re not stopping there—Hope Gas is actively investing in long-term growth opportunities to help our communities thrive for generations to come.
Building Skills. Empowering Futures. Honoring Legacy
Hope Gas is investing in the future of West Virginia’s energy workforce with the opening of the Edward M. Smith National Career and Life Skills Development Center in Clarksburg. The new 20,000-square-foot training facility was developed to provide hands-on education, advanced safety training and real-world field simulations for the next generation of natural gas professionals.
Located at 48 Columbia Boulevard, the state-of-the-art center features modern classrooms, heavy equipment simulators and live pipeline infrastructure designed to replicate real operating conditions. The facility also includes Safety Town, a small residential neighborhood complete with homes, appliances, streets and natural gas utilities that allows employees and trainees to practice real-world scenarios in a controlled environment.
The concept for the facility was first envisioned in 2022, with construction beginning in March 2025 and the center officially opening in March 2026. Once complete, the facility became a central hub for workforce development, training current employees while also creating new opportunities for high school students and future workers interested in careers in the energy industry.
“This surpasses anything that we could have ever imagined,” said Jonell Carver, Chief Administrative Officer of Hope Gas. “To know how impactful this will be, not only to the state of West Virginia, but to the next generation, the next 100 years of Hope Gas, and with the amount of people that will come through this facility, it’s pretty amazing.”
By investing in advanced training and workforce development, Hope Gas is helping ensure that West Virginia continues to lead in energy production while preparing a new generation of skilled workers to safely build, operate and maintain the infrastructure that powers communities across the state.
About the Training Center
At the heart of the facility is Safety Town
a lifelike community of small homes constructed by local technical schools and equipped with working appliances and underground pipeline infrastructure. Here trainees simulate real-life scenarios involving natural gas and hydrogen, reinforcing the critical importance of safety and operational excellence.
Named in honor of the late Edward M. Smith, a champion of labor and former Ullico Inc. CEO, the center stands as a testament to his legacy and Hope Gas’s deep commitment to workers and the communities we serve. Beyond training our workforce, the facility is a shared resource for schools and local businesses, building career pathways, supporting public safety, and shaping a stronger energy future for West Virginia.
About Safety Town
