Mon Power and Potomac Edison Propose Environmental Compliance Program for Power Plants

Fort Martin and Harrison plants expected to operate until 2035 and 2040, respectively, following upgrades

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Dec 17, 2021, 11:20 ET

FAIRMONT, W.Va., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mon Power and Potomac Edison, subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), have applied to the Public Service Commission of West Virginia for approval to undertake a multi-year environmental compliance program at the companies' two regulated power plants, Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville and Harrison Power Station in Haywood. The approximately $142 million program would consist of new wastewater treatment projects at the plants to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's effluent limitation guideline (ELG) requirements.

If approved, the companies would complete the work by the end of 2025, reducing the environmental impact of the two facilities. The upgrades also support the continued operation of Fort Martin and Harrison beyond the 2025 compliance deadline, until their anticipated retirement dates of 2035 and 2040, respectively.

"The proposed upgrades will create local jobs and allow us to continue to operate our plants into the next decade for the benefit of our customers in West Virginia, while also minimizing their impact on the environment," said Jim Myers, president of West Virginia operations for FirstEnergy.

The cost of the improvements would be funded through a ratepayer surcharge that would start at 51 cents per month for the average residential customer in West Virginia when the first projects are implemented in 2024.

Fort Martin and Harrison were placed into service in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and such plants historically have an average life span of approximately 60 years. The future retirement of either facility would be subject to commission review and approval.

In the years ahead, Mon Power and Potomac Edison will work to evaluate the most reliable and cost-effective ways to replace the significant capacity of the plants. The two plants generate 3,080 megawatts of power combined.

Last year, FirstEnergy announced a pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As part of its comprehensive climate strategy, the company conveyed its intent to thoughtfully transition its generation fleet within that time frame.

Mon Power and Potomac Edison recently submitted an application to the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to build five utility-scale solar energy projects throughout the companies' West Virginia service territory that would generate 50 megawatts of clean, renewable energy.

Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at www.mon-power.com, on Twitter @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MonPowerWV.

Potomac Edison serves about 275,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland and 151,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at www.potomacedison.com, on Twitter @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PotomacEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, 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 approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

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the effectiveness of the company's pandemic and business continuity plans, the precautionary measures the company is taking on behalf of its customers, contractors and employees, its customers' ability to make their utility payment and the potential for supply-chain disruptions; actions that may be taken by credit rating agencies that could negatively affect either the company's access to or terms of financing or its financial condition and liquidity; changes in assumptions regarding economic conditions within the company's territories, the reliability of its transmission and distribution system, or the availability of capital or other resources supporting identified transmission and distribution investment opportunities; changes in customers' demand for power, including, but not limited to, the impact of climate change or energy efficiency and peak demand reduction mandates; changes in national and regional economic conditions, including inflationary pressure, affecting the company and/or its customers and those vendors with which the company does business; the risks associated with cyber-attacks and other disruptions to the company's, or its vendors', information technology system, which may compromise the company's operations, and data security breaches of sensitive data, intellectual property and proprietary or personally identifiable information; the ability to comply with applicable reliability standards and energy efficiency and peak demand reduction mandates; changes to environmental laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, those related to climate change; changing market conditions affecting the measurement of certain liabilities and the value of assets held in the company's pension trusts, or causing the company to make contributions sooner, or in amounts that are larger, than currently anticipated; labor disruptions by the company's unionized workforce; changes to significant accounting policies; any changes in tax laws or regulations, or adverse tax audit results or rulings; and the risks and other factors discussed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. 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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.