By Mike Tony, HD Media
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Appalachian Power, Wheeling Power and FirstEnergy each filed long-term plans required by West Virginia statute on Oct. 1 outlining how they plan to meet their captive ratepayers’ needs over the next decade and beyond.
Although the companies’ plans together add up to 828 pages, their preferred path forward is simple:
Keep clinging to coal.
The companies contend that relying principally on coal-fired electricity is the optimal scenario through the lifespans of their coal-fired plants in West Virginia, which depends on coal-fired power more than any other state and has experienced among the most sharply rising electricity prices in the U.S. this century amid coal’s decline elsewhere.
The Integrated Resource Plans, known as IRPs, feature economic scenarios in which the companies account for potential future market circumstances and regulatory mandates to determine their optimal long-term energy portfolios.
APCo claims benefits would come from EPA rule delay
Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power, both subsidiaries of Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power, outlined a “Delayed Environmental Scenario” in which rules strengthening coal-fired plant pollution standards finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2024 would be delayed by 10 years.
The companies’ plans predicted that scenario would provide the “optimal selection of resource additions” and “the lowest-cost path forward,” with cost advantages driven by continued operation of coal-fired units significantly decreasing the need for near-term capital investments. The utilities claim that by putting off major infrastructure expenses, the “Delayed Environmental” approach minimizes system costs while maintaining reliability.
Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power have repeatedly failed in recent years to meet electric reliability targets set by West Virginia utility regulators, with exceptionally poor metrics for power outage duration.