Appalachian Power tried again Wednesday to convince Virginia regulators to extend the life of two West Virginia power plants.
The company went back to the Virginia State Corporation Commission about a year after the body rejected its plan for the John Amos and Mountaineer power plants.
The utility asked regulators again to approve its request for Virginia ratepayers to contribute to upgrades for the coal-fired plants to keep them operating beyond 2028.
Virginia’s Clean Economy Act requires an increasing portion of the state’s power to come from renewable sources.
Attorneys for the Sierra Club and Appalachian Voices have argued that shutting the plants down in 2028 is a better deal for ratepayers.
The West Virginia Public Service Commission last year approved the upgrades to keep the plants running. If nothing changes, West Virginia ratepayers will be the ones paying the cost.
On Oct. 4, the PSC will hear Appalachian Power’s request to recover $297 million from West Virginia ratepayers, citing the higher cost of coal, natural gas and power purchased from PJM.
Appalachian Power is an underwriter of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.