Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has submitted a proposal to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) for a five-year Electric School Bus Pilot Program. The program aims to assist the state in achieving its climate goals and help public schools meet their transportation needs. The pilot program aligns with Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, which mandates that all new school buses contracted or purchased by public school systems in the state be zero emissions.
Don McGettigan, the acting President of FirstEnergy’s Maryland Operations, stated, “We believe the data collected during the pilot will allow us to better understand how we can help meet our school districts’ evolving transportation and electrification needs and ultimately help the districts save money in the long run. Our pilot program is also intended to help the state meet climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which will create cleaner air and improve overall health in the local communities we serve.”
To facilitate the transition to electric school buses (ESBs) across Potomac Edison’s Maryland service territory, the company will provide financial incentives for school districts to acquire and deploy ESBs. Additionally, they will offer reimbursements for EV charging infrastructure and IT-related costs associated with the transition, as well as assessments of grid capacity and other technical and administrative support. Potomac Edison will also cover all the costs related to connecting the electric school buses to their electric grid.
Participating public school districts will receive funding that reduces the cost difference between an electric school bus and an equivalent diesel-fueled bus. The electric buses will also be equipped with lap and shoulder belts to comply with a new state safety law.
“Approval of the initiative by the PSC also will enable us to explore opportunities to use the stored energy in electric school bus batteries to address electricity needs during grid emergencies, potentially yielding positive outcomes for all our customers in the future,” added McGettigan.
This pilot program follows the PSC’s approval to extend Potomac Edison’s electric vehicle program, EV Driven, which was initially authorized in 2019. EV Driven aims to make EV ownership and charging more accessible throughout Maryland.
Potomac Edison serves approximately 285,000 customers in several Maryland counties. Interested individuals can learn more about Potomac Edison’s EV Driven program on their website.
FirstEnergy, the parent company of Potomac Edison, is committed to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. With its electric distribution companies, FirstEnergy serves over six million customers in several states. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate an extensive network of transmission lines connecting the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.
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