Approval of new gas and solar generation proposed in Integrated Resource Plan will help keep power reliable and affordable for customers
FAIRMONT, W.Va., Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mon Power and Potomac Edison, subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), have selected a 35-acre site next to the companies’ Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville, W. Va., as the home of a new 1,200-megawatt natural gas power plant that will help keep electricity reliable and affordable for West Virginia families and businesses for years to come.
Once complete, the plant is expected to generate enough energy to power roughly half a million homes, strengthening the region’s energy supply as demand continues to grow.
If approved by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC), site work would begin as early as 2027, with the plant coming online in late 2031. The companies expect a decision from the commission within the next year.
The natural gas plant is a key part of Mon Power and Potomac Edison’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which outlines how the companies will continue delivering reliable, affordable power to customers over the next decade. The plan also calls for continued operation of the Fort Martin and Harrison power plants and adds new solar resources to create a more balanced and resilient energy portfolio.
Jim Myers, FirstEnergy’s President of West Virginia and Maryland: “The Fort Martin Power Station is already an important part of our power infrastructure, and this new plant builds on that strength. By adding modern natural gas generation alongside our existing plants, we are making sure families and businesses across West Virginia have the reliable and affordable power they depend on today and for years to come.”
Building on growing solar portfolio
Mon Power and Potomac Edison are also seeking approval for 70 megawatts of new solar generation, as described in the IRP. These proposed projects would be built on former industrial and reclaimed mine lands, including:
- A 50-megawatt project on a 188-acre former strip mine at a private airfield in Valley Point (Preston County)
- An 8.4-megawatt project on a 51-acre site surrounding a Mon Power substation in the Wylie Ridge area of Weirton (Hancock County)
- An 11.5-megawatt project on a 44-acre reclaimed strip mine property in Davis (Tucker County)
These new sites would complement the companies’ existing solar portfolio of 30 megawatts already constructed since 2024 on brownfield and former industrial sites. Beyond offering clean energy, these projects support U.S. manufacturing, create construction jobs and help meet the region’s fast-growing electricity needs.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at mon-power.com, on X @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at facebook.com/MonPowerWV.
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
