Mon Power and Potomac Edison's Rivesville site stimulating economy in Marion County and beyond
FAIRMONT, W.Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison have begun construction on their second utility-grade solar site in West Virginia to help meet the state's energy needs and further encourage economic growth.
Click here to view and/or download drone footage of the Rivesville site construction.
The Rivesville solar site in Marion County will be situated along Morgan Ridge Road on approximately 27 acres. Once installed, the solar panels there will produce up to 5.5 megawatts (MW) of renewable power. One MW of solar energy powers a national average of 173 homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The property, owned by the companies, is a brownfield site that has gone unused since the Rivesville Power Station was deactivated in 2012.
Jim Myers, President of FirstEnergy's West Virginia Operations: "We are proud to be transforming a former coal ash disposal site into a source of clean renewable energy for our customers. We believe the energy generated by our West Virginia solar sites will continue to encourage economic development in the state because a growing number of companies require a portion of the electricity they purchase to be generated by renewable sources."
The Rivesville solar site is the second of the companies' five planned solar sites in West Virginia. The companies' first solar site, which sits on 80 acres at the Fort Martin Power Station, was connected to the distribution grid in January 2024 and can produce up to 18.9 MW of solar energy per hour.
The Rivesville solar site is being constructed by local union workers, just like the Fort Martin site. In recent weeks, crews have prepared the Rivesville site by removing trees, constructing roads and installing fences ahead of upcoming electrical and mechanical work. The solar panels, racking systems and supporting electrical equipment for the site are made in the United States.
Ultimately, the companies' five sites are expected to collectively generate 50 megawatts of renewable energy. Construction of the Rivesville site and a third site in Berkeley County (5.7 MW), is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The companies also plan to seek final approval from the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to build the additional two solar sites in Davis, Tucker County (11.5 MW), and Weirton, Hancock County (8.4 MW), once customers subscribe to the energy they will produce.
To subscribe or find out more about the solar program, Mon Power and Potomac Edison customers in West Virginia can submit their information through the website at firstenergycorp.com/WVSolar or by calling 1-800-505-7283.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at mon-power.com, on X, formerly known as Twitter @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at facebook.com/MonPowerWV.
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million 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 firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
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