FirstEnergy subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison have begun construction on their second utility-grade solar site in West Virginia, located on a brownfield site owned by the companies that has gone unused since the coal-fired Rivesville Power Station was deactivated in 2012.
The Rivesville solar site in Marion County will be situated along Morgan Ridge Road on approximately 27 acres. Once installed, the solar panels onsite will produce up to 5.5 MW of power.
“We are proud to be transforming a former coal ash disposal site into a source of clean renewable energy for our customers,” said Jim Myers, President of FirstEnergy’s West Virginia Operations. “We believe the energy generated by our West Virginia solar sites will continue to encourage economic development in the state because a growing number of companies require a portion of the electricity they purchase to be generated by renewable sources.”
The Rivesville solar site is the second of the companies’ five planned solar sites in West Virginia. The companies’ first solar site, which sits on 80 acres at the Fort Martin Power Station, was connected to the distribution grid in January 2024 and can produce up to 18.9 MW of solar energy per hour.
The Rivesville solar site is being constructed by local union workers. In recent weeks, crews have prepared the Rivesville site by removing trees, constructing roads, and installing fences ahead of upcoming electrical and mechanical work. The solar panels, racking systems, and supporting electrical equipment for the site are made in the United States, the companies said.
Ultimately, the companies’ five sites are expected to collectively generate 50 MW of energy. Construction of the Rivesville site and a third site in Berkeley County (5.7 MW), is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The companies also plan to seek final approval from the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to build the additional two solar sites in Davis, Tucker County (11.5 MW), and Weirton, Hancock County (8.4 MW), once customers subscribe to the energy they will produce.
