FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) said its generation subsidiaries will retire six older coal-fired power plants, totaling 2,689 MW, by September 1, 2012. The plants are in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The decision to close the plants is based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which were recently finalized, and other environmental regulations.

The total capacity of the competitive plants that will be retired is 2,689 MW. Recently, these plants served mostly as peaking or intermediate facilities, generating, on average, approximately 10 percent of the electricity produced by the company over the past three years, FirstEnergy said in a statement.

The following plants will be retired:
·         Bay Shore Plant, Units 2-4, Oregon, Ohio;
·         Eastlake Plant, Eastlake, Ohio;
·         Ashtabula Plant, Ashtabula, Ohio;
·         Lake Shore Plant, Cleveland, Ohio;
·         Armstrong Power Station, Adrian, Pa.;
·         R. Paul Smith Power Station, Williamsport, Md.

In total, 529 employees will be directly affected. Existing severance benefits will apply to eligible, affected employees. However, the final number of affected employees could be less as some are considered for open positions at other FirstEnergy facilities and work locations, and eligible employees take advantage of a retirement benefit being offered to those 55 years and older.

The plant retirements are subject to review for reliability impacts, if any, by PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization that controls the area where they are located.

FirstEnergy is finalizing MATS compliance plans for its remaining coal-fired units. Since the Clean Air Act became law in 1970, FirstEnergy and its predecessor companies have invested more than $10 billion in environmental protection efforts.

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