Two subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. announced plans to build a new 1,200-MW natural gas-fired power plant on land adjacent to the companies’ coal-fired Fort Martin Power Station in West Virginia.
Mon Power and Potomac Edison on February 13 announced the new facility is sited on 35 acres in Maidsville, West Virginia. The utilities submitted an application to the state Public Service Commission (PSC) for the new power plant, and also have asked the PSC to approve plans for three new solar farms in the state.
The PSC in an email to media wrote, “According to the filing, the companies state the combined projects are intended to address energy deficits and reduce potential capacity shortfalls while supporting reliable electric service.”
The Fort Martin facility is an 1,100-MW coal-fired power plant that has been online since 1967. The gas-fired station, if approved by the PSC, could begin commercial operation in late 2031, according to a filing. The companies said they expect the PSC to issue a decision on the application within the next year, which would allow construction to being as soon as 2027. The PSC said the combined-cycle power plant represents an investment of $2.84 billion.
Jim Myers, FirstEnergy’s president of West Virginia and Maryland, said, “The Fort Martin Power Station is already an important part of our power infrastructure, and this new plant builds on that strength. By adding modern natural gas generation alongside our existing plants, we are making sure families and businesses across West Virginia have the reliable and affordable power they depend on today and for years to come.”
‘Key Part’ of Integrated Resource Plan
The companies in a news release on Friday said the natural gas-fired plant “is a key part of Mon Power and Potomac Edison’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which outlines how the companies will continue delivering reliable, affordable power to customers over the next decade. The plan also calls for continued operation of the Fort Martin and Harrison power plants and adds new solar resources to create a more balanced and resilient energy portfolio.” The Harrison facility, located in Haywood, West Virginia, is a 1,984-MW coal-fired power station. The plant’s three units have operated since 1972, 1973, and 1974, respectively.
Coal-fired power plants in West Virginia are among those slated to receive funding through a U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) program announced earlier in February. Appalachian Power said it applied for $35 million in funding for upgrades at the John Amos Power Plant in Putnam County and the Mountaineer Power Plant in Mason County.
The DOE on February 11 said it would earmark $175 million to upgrade at least six coal-fired facilities in four states, including in West Virginia. The DOE said the funding is part of a larger $525-million program focused on improvements to the nation’s coal-fired power plant fleet.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a utility owned by the federal government that serves parts of seven states, also Wednesday said it would indefinitely extend operations of two coal plants that were slated to retire in 2026 and 2028, respectively. TVA is led by a board of directors who are appointed by presidents to five-year terms.
New Solar Farms
Mon Power and Potomac Edison in the IRP also are seeking approval for 70 MW of new solar power generation. The companies said the proposed projects would be built on former industrial and reclaimed mining lands. The projects include:
- A 50-MW solar farm on a 188-acre former strip mine at a private airfield in Valley Point (Preston County).
- An 8.4-MW array on a 51-acre site surrounding a Mon Power substation in the Wylie Ridge area of Weirton (Hancock County).
- An 11.5-MW installation on a 44-acre reclaimed strip mine property in Davis (Tucker County).
The utilities said the new sites would complement the companies’ existing solar portfolio of 30 MW already built since 2024 on brownfield and former industrial sites.
Mon Power offers a solar subscription program allowing West Virginia customers to support renewable energy by purchasing solar renewable energy credits generated from in-state projects. Potomac Edison offers Maryland customers community solar programs that allow residents and businesses to subscribe to local solar projects, receiving credits on their electric bills without installing panels.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland, and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
