Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has received approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission to begin a pilot program aimed at helping local school districts in Maryland transition to electric, zero-emission school buses. The initiative is intended to ease financial barriers and support state environmental goals.
Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 requires public schools to buy or contract only zero-emission vehicles in the future. To assist with this mandate, Potomac Edison will cover the typical $250,000 cost difference between diesel and electric buses. The company will also pay for charging equipment and any necessary electrical upgrades.
Jim Myers, FirstEnergy’s President of West Virginia and Maryland, said: “Maryland’s public schools are taking important steps toward cleaner, healthier transportation for students, and this program is designed to help make that transition more practical and affordable. We’re reducing upfront costs and offering hands-on support to help school systems integrate electric buses smoothly. At the same time, we’re exploring how these buses can support grid reliability through innovative technology – a promising opportunity that could benefit customers across the counties we serve.”
The pilot program will launch in early 2026 with an $11.1 million budget. It includes incentives for up to 28 electric school buses within Potomac Edison’s service area. School systems will receive technical and administrative assistance in choosing charging sites, installing equipment, and training staff on bus operation and charging procedures.
Additionally, participating districts will have access to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. This allows stored energy from bus batteries to be sent back into the power grid when buses are not in use—an option that could help improve grid reliability during emergencies.
The program is scheduled to last five years or until funding runs out.
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers across several Maryland counties including Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery and Washington.
FirstEnergy provides electricity service to more than six million customers across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York as described on its official website https://www.firstenergycorp.com/about.html?_gl=1*1pny36x*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTEzMTczNTMzLjE3NjQwMTA5Mzg.*_ga_TVQJK7Z44E*czE3NjQwMTA5MzckbzEkZzAkdDE3NjQwMTA5MzckajYwJGwwJGgw. The company operates one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems with approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines https://www.firstenergycorp.com/about.html?_gl=1*1pny36x*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTEzMTczNTMzLjE3NjQwMTA5Mzg.*_ga_TVQJK7Z44E*czE3NjQwMTA5MzckbzEkZzAkdDE3NjQwMTA5MzckajYwJGwwJGgw.
FirstEnergy emphasizes corporate responsibility by supporting environmental initiatives and community programs https://www.firstenergycorp.com/about/corporate-responsibility.html?_gl=1*t8gjrv*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTEzMTczNTMzLjE3NjQwMTA5Mzg.*_ga_TVQJK7Z44E*czE3NjQwMTA5MzckbzEkZzEkdDE3NjQwMTE0NzckajYwJGwwJGgw. The company has been recognized for compliance leadership as well as its environmental efforts https://www.firstenergycorp.com/about/corporate-responsibility.html?_gl=1*t8gjrv*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTEzMTczNTMzLjE3NjQwMTA5Mzg.*_ga_TVQJK7Z44E*czE3NjQwMTA5MzckbzEkZzEkdDE3NjQwMTE0NzckajYwJGwwJGgw.
According to its website https://www.firstenergycorp.com/about.html?_gl=1*1pny36x*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTEzMTczNTMzLjE3NjQwMTA5Mzg.*_ga_TVQJK7Z44E*czE3NjQwMTA5MzckbzEkZzAkdDE3NjQwMTA5MzckajYwJGwwJGgw FirstEnergy aims to operate as a progressive utility focused on integrity and reliability while working towards better customer experiences and improved community conditions through a diverse workforce.
