READING, Pa., April 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Electric Company (Penelec), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has launched its Pennsylvania Act 129 Demand Response Program, which will pay Pennsylvania business customers when they reduce power consumption during periods of peak demand for electricity this summer.

This program is designed to help Penelec meet Pennsylvania's Act 129 requirement to reduce peak demand for electricity by 4.5 percent during the top 100 hours of energy demand during the summer months (June 1 to September 31, 2012).

Several providers will assist businesses in Penelec's service territory with participation in the program.  Providers include:

ClearChoice Energy:  412-833-4113, ext. 107
Customized Energy Solutions:  267-238-4785
Energy Connect:  312-854-8071
Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.:  877-711-5453 ext. 348
EnerNOC, Inc.:  443-864-2007
Hess Energy Solutions:  888-223-1524
Key Tex Energy: 724-468-6500, ext. 212
Net Peak:  920-227-2332

"We expect this program will be very attractive to our commercial and industrial customers who can temporarily reduce their demand for electricity by 100 kilowatts or more for a few hours per week," said Douglas Elliott, president of Pennsylvania operations for FirstEnergy.  "Over the summer period, a participant who can reduce their average peak power demand by 350 kilowatts for 12 to 15 days could earn up to $10,000." 

For additional information or to enroll in the program, commercial customers should contact their program vendor of choice from the list above or visit www.energysavePA.com.

Penelec serves approximately 590,000 customers in 31 Pennsylvania counties.  FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies comprise one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems.  Its diverse generating fleet features non-emitting nuclear, scrubbed coal, natural gas, and pumped-storage hydro and other renewables, and has a total generating capacity of nearly 23,000 megawatts.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.