FirstEnergy (NYSE:FE) subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison recently submitted a request to the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) to recover costs for environmental control projects that support the long-term operation of Harrison and Fort Martin Power Stations.
As part of FirstEnergy's long-standing commitment to sustainability, the company is making emissions control investments at Harrison and Fort Martin that allow the plants to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations. These investments will allow the plants to continue generating low-emitting and affordable electricity, providing well-paying jobs, and contributing significant tax income to surrounding communities.
Earlier this year, the West Virginia legislature authorized the PSC to approve coal-fired boiler modernization and improvement plans that meet requirements for cost-effectiveness and necessity. The new legislation encourages utilities to take proactive measures to upgrade coal-fired power plants in order to support West Virginia's coal industry while helping to ensure reliable electricity generation remains in the state.
The Modernization and Improvement Plan (MIP) will help Harrison and Fort Martin achieve ongoing compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) II requirements. To meet these requirements, 18 projects are planned or underway, including improving electro-static precipitators, installing technology to control mercury and other emissions, improving existing flue gas desulfurization equipment, enhancing continuous emission monitoring, tuning boilers, and improving controls and the selective catalytic reduction system.
If approved, the $6.9 million annual revenue increase would amount to a $0.55 increase in the average residential customer's bill beginning May 1, 2017.
Mon Power, a FirstEnergy electric distribution company, serves about 385,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power on Twitter @MonPowerWV.
Potomac Edison serves 138,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison on Twitter @PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, while its generation subsidiaries control nearly 17,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro and other renewables. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online atwww.firstenergycorp.com.
