W.Va. regs lower Mon Power, Potomac Edison rates

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia regulators are lowering the electric rates for customers of FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison.

The Public Service Commission on Monday ordered that rates be reduced by more than $65 million, effective Jan. 1.

The companies serve about 520,000 customers in 37 West Virginia counties.

Officials say that a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month will see their bill decrease by about $4.80.

Mon Power and Potomac Edison had asked regulators not to implement the decrease pending a separate matter before the commission that may cause rates to increase.

But the commission said it was in the best public interest to lower rates as soon as possible in light of the challenging economic circumstances that West Virginia rate payers have faced.