MORGANTOWN – Mon Power is actively recruiting customers for its solar renewable energy credits (SREC) program announced in May.
An email recently sent to customers says, “Buying solar credits makes it easy to invest in solar energy, without having to install a rooftop system. Join your neighbors and help West Virginia meet the growing demand for solar for as little as $2 a month. Getting started only takes a few minutes, and the benefits will last for years to come.”
Mon Power and its FirstEnergy sister Potomac Edison plans five utility-scale solar facilities for its West Virginia service territory. The company said in May it had received conditional approval from the Public Service Commission for the five projects, which will together total 50 megawatts of renewable solar generation.
SRECs are certificates that represent the environmental attributes of solar power and prove solar energy was generated on the purchasers’ behalf. For every megawatt hour of solar energy generated, one SREC is produced. When fully operational, the five projects are expected to create more than 87,000 SRECs per year.
Mon Power said it is conducting a marketing campaign about the program that includes email, social media and search engine marketing.
On the program sign-up page – www.firstenergycorp.com/mon_power/wv-solar-program.html – Mon Power says, “The development and operation of renewable energy immensely impacts the local economy by bringing businesses to West Virginia. This not only creates jobs, but encourages economic development across the state. This affordable credit-based program adds solar to the mix in West Virginia, which gives us all a green energy source – and helps the environment.”
Answering questions from The Dominion Post, Mon Power said the program is an additional cost and does not offset any portion of a customer’s bill.
With an overall subscription cost of 4 cents per kilowatt hour in addition to normal rates, customers will be able to choose from a variety of SREC subscription levels and term lengths with pricing options that allow for broad participation in the West Virginia solar program, Mon Power said in May.
Commercial and industrial customers will be able to choose a subscription level that reflects a percentage of their monthly energy consumption. Residential customers can support the program by purchasing a SREC over time at monthly levels of 50 kilowatt hours ($2 per month), 100 kilowatt hours ($4 per month), 200 kilowatt hours ($8 per month) or more.
When Mon Power and Potomac Edison have obtained customer commitments for 85% of the renewable energy credits generated by a solar facility, the companies will seek final approval from the commission for a ratepayer surcharge to cover the balance of the project costs and begin full-scale construction.
Mon Power and Potomac Edison customers who make a commitment for SRECs now are not expected to begin incurring charges until early 2024.
The solar program stems from a 2020 bill passed by the West Virginia Legislature that authorizes electric utilities to own and operate up to 200 megawatts of solar renewable generation facilities to help meet the state’s electricity needs.
Mon Power will build, own and operate the five solar facilities, which are located on property owned by Mon Power or its affiliates.
The locations are:
- a 26-acre reclaimed ash disposal site in Berkeley County;
- a 51-acre site adjacent to a Mon Power substation in Hancock County;
- a 27-acre retired ash disposal site in Marion County;
- a 95-acre site in Monongalia County adjacent to Fort Martin Power Station;
- a 44-acre reclaimed strip mine property in Tucker County.
Tweet David Beard @dbeardtdp Email dbeard@dominionpost.com
