Project would enhance reliability for more
than 3,000 customers in four counties
FAIRMONT, W.Va., May 2, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiary Mon Power
has been selected by the Department of Energy to begin award
negotiations for up to $5 million in
federal funding for a project that will boost electric reliability
for customers in parts of rural West
Virginia. The funding is part of the Energy Improvements in
Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program established by the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law.
The funding would be applied to help rebuild more than 23 miles
of power lines in Pocahontas,
Braxton and Clay counties and connect a two-mile tie line
with a substation in Petersburg,
Grant County, resulting in
enhanced reliability for more than 3,000 customers. The work would
enable Mon Power and FirstEnergy subsidiary Potomac Edison, which
also serves West Virginia, to
restore service to customers faster by connecting them to adjacent
circuits, providing those customers with a backup power feed while
repairs are made during an outage.
Submitted in 2023, Mon Power's proposal was selected as one of
19 community-led projects across 12 states and 13 tribal nations
and communities to receive more than $78
million to develop and deploy sustainable clean energy
solutions or expand access to reliable and affordable energy in
rural and remote communities across the country.
Jim Myers, President of
FirstEnergy's West Virginia Operations: "We're grateful for the
opportunity provided by the Department of Energy to apply for
funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Their commitment
to bolstering our nation's infrastructure is evident, and through
initiatives like the Energy Improvements and Rural Areas Program,
we're excited to translate that support into tangible benefits for
our customers. This program will not only modernize our
infrastructure but also strengthen the backbone of our nation's
energy system, ensuring reliability and resilience for years to
come."
If the funding is approved, Mon Power would expect to start
construction on the project in 2025. Company representatives have
engaged with more than 560 city, county, state and nonprofit
agencies about the proposal over the past year, providing updates
and incorporating community feedback into Mon Power's plans. Mon
Power also plans to partner with community-based organizations,
labor unions and educational institutions in the affected counties
to address workforce disparity gaps for historically
under-resourced communities.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power
at mon-power.com, on X, formally known as
Twitter @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook
at facebook.com/MonPowerWV.
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties
in Maryland and 155,000 customers
in the Eastern Panhandle of West
Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com,
on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook
at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, West Virginia,
Maryland and New York. The company's transmission
subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission
lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow
FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on
X @FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.