FirstEnergy Solutions Seeks Another Subsidy as Bankruptcy Looms

This week, FirstEnergy’s subsidiary company that operates nuclear and coal power plants, FirstEnergy Solutions, announced its intent to shut down its two nuclear power plants in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania in 2021.

In a press release the company called on elected officials in Ohio and in Pennsylvania “to consider public policy solutions that would recognize the importance of these facilities to the employees and local economies in which they operate, and the unique role they play in providing reliable, zero-emission electric power for consumers in both states. We stand ready to roll up our sleeves and work with policy makers to find solutions that will make it feasible to continue to operate these plants in the future.”

The subsidiary also wrote to U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry asking the agency to order PJM, the regional grid operator, to provide additional compensation to their (only) power plants.

The subsidiary is expected to file for bankruptcy in the coming days to seek protection from creditors before an expected payment default in early April. 3/29/2018