May 18, 2026

Mon Power and Potomac Edison have requested that the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) review electric rates to support continued investment in a safe, reliable electric system that is better prepared for severe weather, while keeping customer costs in mind.

The filing outlines two potential paths forward. One is an inflation-based approach that spreads smaller increases over time instead of implementing one larger increase, providing customers with more predictability. The other is a traditional rate adjustment based on work already completed to strengthen the electric system, along with a proposed program focused on reliability and future infrastructure investments.

Recent Improvements

In recent years, teams across the companies have completed key upgrades, including:

• Reducing outage duration tied to the high-voltage transmission system in West Virginia by 43.8%.
• Improving critical equipment at the Fort Martin and Harrison power stations to support safe, reliable generation.
• Upgrading poles, power lines and equipment to help the system better withstand storms.

Customer Impact

Under either option, residential customers would continue to pay the lowest rates among West Virginia’s regulated electric utilities. Both proposals support continued work on power plants, transmission lines and local equipment to help prevent outages and shorten restoration times when outages occur.

“Our customers count on us every day, especially when the weather is at its worst. This rate review would help us keep improving an aging system by making it more resilient so we can restore power faster when outages happen,” said Chris Beam, President of FirstEnergy West Virginia and Maryland. “We also know customers are watching costs closely, so we’re focused on making smart investments that improve service and provide long-term value.”

Inflation and Investment Adjustment

Mon Power and Potomac Edison are asking the PSC to consider an inflation and investment rate adjustment similar to an approach recently allowed in another utility case. This approach would spread smaller increases over time to help cover investments and inflation, providing more predictable bills while supporting continued system improvements.

The proposal includes:

• A total adjustment of $76 million
• Two annual adjustments of $38 million, effective Aug. 1, 2026, and June 1, 2027

For an average residential customer, this would result in a proposed monthly bill increase of about 3% and 2.9%, respectively. Under this option, the companies would not seek another rate review until April 2028.

Base Rate Adjustment

As an alternative, Mon Power and Potomac Edison propose a traditional base rate adjustment of $188 million. This includes funding for a reliability and infrastructure improvement initiative to replace aging equipment and deploy new technology to reduce the frequency and duration of outages.

The proposal builds on a PSC-approved pilot launched in 2024 that has already reduced outage duration for rural customers by about four hours per year on average—a 53% reduction.

For an average residential customer, the traditional approach would result in a proposed increase of about 13.9%.

PSC Review Process

Mon Power and Potomac Edison remain focused on managing costs responsibly while making smart investments that benefit customers. Any rate changes must be reviewed and approved by the PSC before taking effect. The review process provides an opportunity for the commission to closely evaluate the proposal and its impact on customers.