Mon Power Receives $5 Million Grant for Reliability Project in West Virginia

In West Virginia, Mon Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has been awarded $5 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations. This funding is part of the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project aims to enhance electric service reliability for over 3,000 customers across Pocahontas, Braxton, and Clay counties by rebuilding more than 23 miles of power lines and connecting a two-mile alternate power line to a substation in Petersburg, Grant County. The initiative is designed to improve the speed of service restoration during outages by allowing connections to adjacent lines that can serve as backup feeds. This is particularly important for rural areas where outages can significantly impact daily life. Jim Myers, Vice President of FirstEnergy's West Virginia Operations, expressed gratitude for the funding, emphasizing its potential to reduce the frequency and duration of outages for local customers. Mon Power's proposal was selected from a competitive pool of community-led projects across the country, highlighting the importance of sustainable energy solutions in rural and remote communities. The company plans to begin construction in 2025 and has engaged with local agencies to incorporate community feedback into its plans. Additionally, Mon Power aims to partner with community organizations to address workforce disparities in historically under-resourced areas, further demonstrating its commitment to community engagement and support.