HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 149

(By Delegates Manypenny, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Thompson, Boggs, Brown, Doyle, Fleischauer, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hatfield, Lawrence, Longstreth, Mahan, Moore, Moye, M. Poling, Poore, Shaver, Smith, Staggers, Talbott, Walker and Wells)

Urging the West Virginia Public Service Commission act to review the condition of the Pruntytown to Mt. Storm 500kV transmission line owned by Monongahela Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, and order the rebuilding and reconductoring of that transmission line as soon as is practical.

    Whereas, In its final order approving Allegheny Energy’s TrAIL transmission line in August 2008, the West Virginia Public Service Commission ordered Allegheny Energy, now FirstEnergy, to submit a report on the condition of the Pruntytown to Mt. Storm 500kV transmission line within one year from the energizing of the TrAIL line; and

    Whereas, The TrAIL line will be in operation by June 2011; and

    Whereas, The Pruntytown to Mt. Storm transmission line is a key element in the West Virginia transmission grid; and

    Whereas, The Pruntytown to Mt. Storm transmission line has been identified as the site of reliability concerns by grid operator PJM Interconnection; and

    Whereas, The West Virginia Public Service Commission has been charged, in statute, by this Legislature to act in the best interests of West Virginia electric customers and citizens; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Legislature of West Virginia urges the West Virginia Public Service Commission to insure the reliability of West Virginia’s transmission system by proceeding as quickly as possible with a review of the condition of the Pruntytown to Mt. Storm transmission line and encouraging Monongahela Power and its parent company, FirstEnergy to rebuild this line, if the Commission’s study concludes that such construction is needed; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Commissioners of the West Virginia Public Service Commission.