March 20, 2024

Mon Power and Potomac Edison have started construction on their second utility-grade solar site in West Virginia to help meet the state’s energy needs and further encourage economic growth. Once installed, the solar panels will produce up to 5.5 megawatts (MW) of renewable power, and according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, 1 MW of solar energy can power a national average of 173 homes.

“We are proud to be transforming a former coal ash disposal site into a source of clean renewable energy for our customers,” said Jim Myers, President, West Virginia Operations. “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 will be situated on approximately 27 acres of land in Marion County. The property is owned by Mon Power and Potomac Edison and was previously used by Rivesville Power Station until the facility closed in 2012.

In recent weeks, crews have been preparing 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 and the site is being constructed by local union workers.

Solar development continues in West Virginia

Rivesville is the second of five planned solar sites in West Virginia. The first site – which consists of nearly 50,000 solar panels that sit on 80 acres of land near Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville – was connected to the distribution grid in January 2024 and can produce up to 18.9 MW of solar energy per hour.

Ultimately, the five sites are expected to collectively generate up to 50 MW of renewable energy. Construction of the Rivesville site and a third site in Marlowe (5.7 MW), is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

We also plan to seek final approval from the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to build two additional solar sites in Davis (11.5 MW) and Weirton (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 online at www.firstenergycorp.com/WVSolar or by calling 1-800-505-7283.

Did You Know?

When Rivesville Power Station came online in 1919, it was the largest generating facility in West Virginia. The coal-fired plant was located along the Monongahela River just north of Fairmont and had a peak generating capacity of 142 MW.