FirstEnergy Files to Deactivate Pleasants Coal Plant

WILLOW ISLAND, WV -- Today, FirstEnergy Corp. announced plans to deactivate the Pleasants Power Station by January 2019. The announcement comes in the wake of failed attempts by FirstEnergy to force West Virginia customers to pay higher prices for the money-losing facility by transferring ownership of Pleasants to its regulated subsidiary (Monongahela Power Company). Sierra Club and other organizations opposed the transfer, pointing to both higher costs to ratepayers and harmful pollution caused by burning coal at the plant while there are cheaper and cleaner options to meet customer needs. In January, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) denied the transfer request. Following this, West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) imposed conditions to protect West Virginia consumers if the transfer was made, which FirstEnergy in turn rejected.

The intended deactivation of Pleasants marks the 268th power plant, nationally, to announce plans to stop burning coal since 2010 and the second announced deactivation this week. Since 2010, the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign and hundreds of other partner organization have prevented 7,287 premature deaths, 11,332 heart attacks, and 120,113 asthma attacks.

In response, Bill Price, Field Organizing Manager at the Sierra Club, issued the following statement:

“Actions are needed from FirstEnergy, the State of West Virginia, and the Nation to support the livelihoods and economic development of the workers and community during this transition away from coal. West Virginians have risked their lives, health, and environment to provide electricity to the nation for decades. Companies such as FirstEnergy, who have profited from communities that have suffered from coal pollution, owe their workers and the families of their employees a fair transition to a sustainable, clean, and prosperous future.”