First Energy Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Senate Votes To Encourage Mon Power To Buy Pleasants Power Station

The Pleasants Power Station has been making electricity from coal for 44 years. But the plant, which employs about 150 workers, is scheduled to shut down at the end of May.

State lawmakers moved Monday to save those jobs, by adopting a resolution to “strongly encourage” FirstEnergy subsidiary Mon Power to purchase the Pleasants plant.

Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, sponsored the resolution.

“The job losses created by such a closure stands to hurt the social fabric that binds our community together,” she said. “I urge you today to join me and vote for the passage of this resolution to support the call for Mon Power to purchase Pleasants Power Station, and preserve the jobs and tax base that provides for so many throughout the state of West Virginia.”

Boley had the support of the chamber’s few Democrats. Sen. Mike Caputo of Marion County described the impact of a power plant closure in his district. Caputo said power plants support other jobs in the community.

“So it’s more than just a few jobs to operate the facility, it’s the ancillary jobs that count, too, and that could come up into the hundreds, maybe 1,000 with the loss of that plant,” he said.

The Pleasants plant burns millions of tons of West Virginia coal each year. It provides tax revenue that supports local government services.

But owner Energy Harbor decided to close it because it was no longer economical to operate.

And, should Mon Power decide to purchase the plant, it will pass along that cost to ratepayers.

Mon Power customers’ rates already went up on Jan. 1.

Still, no senators opposed Boley’s resolution.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission gave Mon Power until March 31 to evaluate the feasibility of acquiring the Pleasants plant.

Coal-Burning Pleasants Power Station To Be Shut Down Or Sold

The Pleasants Power Station, on the Ohio River in Pleasants County, will be retired or sold in 2023, according to the plant’s owner, Energy Harbor.

The former First Energy plant was saved from closure in 2019 by the state legislature and Gov. Jim Justice, who signed a $12 million tax exemption specifically for the facility.

The plant’s two units generate more than 1,300 megawatts and have been in operation since 1979 and 1980.

West Virginia officials have taken steps to save the state’s remaining coal-burning power plants from closure. The Public Service Commission has approved wastewater projects at three plants owned by American Electric Power and is expected to approve similar projects at two more owned by First Energy.

When completed, the projects will allow all five plants to remain in operation beyond 2028. The companies’ customers will see an increase in their monthly bills to cover the cost.

It isn’t yet clear who, if anyone, might purchase the Pleasants Power Station.

Pleasants is one of two coal-burning plants Energy Harbor is seeking to shed in an effort to become 100% carbon-free. The other is in Ohio.

Company: Proposed Energy Plan Doesn't Need Public Hearing

An electric utility company that serves more than 500,000 customers throughout northern West Virginia says its proposed energy plan doesn’t need a public hearing.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports First Energy, the parent company of MonPower and Potomac Edison, asked the Public Service Commission to reject calls for a public hearing on its 15-year resource plan.

The proposed plan suggested the West Virginia subsidiaries would seek to buy another coal-fired power plant in the near future.

Last week, the Sierra Club, a national environmental group that has challenged electric utilities throughout the country, called for a public hearing, stemming from concerns raised about the company’s plan, including the projected cost of purchasing another coal-fired power station.

The commission has not ruled whether they’ll schedule a public hearing on the case.

First Energy Seeks Rate Hike for Vegetation Management

First Energy has asked West Virginia regulators to approve a $75.8 million rate hike over two years to cover the cost of its vegetation management programs.

First Energy says it needs the increase to cover $51.9 million in past vegetation management expenses and $23.9 million in expected costs in 2016 and 2017.

Monday’s rate filing with the Public Service Commission comes two weeks after the company requested a separate $165 million rate increase to cover fuel and other costs. Both rates are separate from the company’s base rate.

Company spokesman Todd Meyers tells the Charleston Gazette-Mail that the vegetation management programs have improved First Energy’s electric reliability throughout West Virginia.

First Energy is the parent company of Mon Power and Potomac Edison.

Electricity Rate Settlement Proposed

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (AP) – FirstEnergy’s two West Virginia subsidiaries would recover about $63 million annually under a proposed rate increase settlement.

     Under the agreement, the monthly bill for a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours would increase from $92.62 to $99.52.

     Mon Power and Potomac Energy say the proposed settlement was filed Monday with the West Virginia Public Service Commission. It followed negotiations between the companies and the PSC staff, the PSC’s Consumer Advocate Division, the West Virginia Energy Group and Wal-Mart.

     The agreement includes a $15 million increase in base rate charges and a $47.5 million surcharge for vegetation management. If the PSC approves the settlement, the increases would go into effect Feb. 25, 2015.

     Mon Power serves about 385,500 customers and Potomac Edison serves about 135,000 customers.

Public Hearings to be Held in First Energy Rate Case

The Public Service Commission has scheduled six public comment hearings in the pending Mon Power and Potomac Edison Rate Case. These power companies are a part of First Energy. First Energy has requested a $95.7 million or 9.3 percent increase of rates and charges for their West Virginia customers.

Those hearings will be held:

· October 1, 2014, 1:00 pm, at the Days Inn Convention Center, Flatwoods

· October 1, 2014, 6:00 pm, at the Days Inn Convention Center, Flatwoods

· October 2, 2014, 1:00 pm, at the Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown

· October 2, 2014, 6:00 pm, at the Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown

· October 6, 2014, 1:00 pm, at the Frank Arts Center, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown

· October 6, 2014, 6:00 pm, at the Frank Arts Center, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown

First Energy serves approximately 523,000 customers in 37 West Virginia counties.