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FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Mon Power and Potomac Edison have announced a $142 million plan to conduct environmental upgrades to their power plants in Maidsville and Haywood. Spokesman Will Boye says hey have file rate increase request with the Public Service Commission to fund the work.
“The initial impact for the average residential customer would be about 51-cents per month and that would start in 2024,” Boye said.
The work will bring the Fort Martin Power Station and the Harrison Power Station in compliance with Environmental Protection Agency guidelines and extend the service life of both plants into the next decade.
“It would include wastewater treatment projects to meet the EPA’s guidelines on effluent limitation requirements,” Boye said.
The Public Service Commission is expected to rule on the rate increase request by the middle of 2022.
“The deadline for these is the end of 2025, so these projects will help us comply with those environmental laws and the plants will operate on a cleaner basis,” Boye said.
Both power plants began service in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and they have an estimated life span of approximately 60 years. The future retirement of either facility would be subject to commission review and approval. The two plants generate 3,080 megawatts of power combined.
“This is really the best option, the economic choice for our customers and the state,” Boye said. ” Otherwise the replacement for the plants would be very high.”
The work will also generate local economic activity and create skilled labor jobs.
“We will work with outside vendors and these projects will create new construction jobs in West Virginia, so that’s certainly a positive,” Boye said.