EKB News

WEST VIRGINIA....
New studies supporting a proposed 275-mile PATH power line from West Virginia across Virginia to Maryland have been filed with the West Virginia Public Service Commission and will be filed with regulators in Maryland and Virginia, Ohio-based American Electric Power and Pennsylvania-based Allegheny Energy say the aim is to convince regulators to approve the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, or PATH, which would send more electricity from coal-rich West Virginia to the East Coast. Part of the new information comes from grid operator PJM Interconnection which Allegheny and AEP say found PATH the best fix for overloading that's expected to start in 2015. The projected cost of the line has risen to $2.1 billion from $1.8 billion, but Allegheny and AEP officials say they're confident PATH will be found to be absolutely necessary to maintain a reliable electric system. Opponents argue the line would only serve to continue the use of coal for electrical generation.