Mon Energy of West Virginia will begin award negotiations with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) in coming days after being selected for up to $5 million in federal funding to boost electric reliability for its rural customers.
More than 3,000 customers in four counties stand to gain from the arrangement, which was awarded as part of the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Specifically, that funding would go toward rebuilding more than 23 miles of power lines in Pocahontas, Braxton and Clay counties, as well as connecting a two-mile tie line with a substation in Grant County.
More than $78 million total are on the line, split between 19 community-led projects selected from submissions made last year. If approved, Mon Power intends to start construction on its own in 2025.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity provided by the Department of Energy to apply for funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” Jim Myers, president of FirstEnergy’s West Virginia Operations, said. “Their commitment to bolstering our nation’s infrastructure is evident, and through initiatives like the Energy Improvements and Rural Areas Program, we’re excited to translate that support into tangible benefits for our customers. This program will not only modernize our infrastructure but also strengthen the backbone of our nation’s energy system, ensuring reliability and resilience for years to come.”
In addition to system rebuilds, the work would allow Mon Power and Potomac Edison to connect customers to adjacent circuits, allowing for faster service restorations through backup power feeds during periods of outage and repair. Mon Power, which serves about 395,000 customers in West Virginia, added that it worked with more than 560 city, county, state and nonprofit agencies to develop this proposal, and plans to partner with local organizations for a related workforce.
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