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Study Demonstrates Environmental Benefits of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Posted on: Thursday, 19 July 2007, 15:11 CDT

AKRON, Ohio, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A comprehensive study conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) shows that widespread use of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) can decrease both air pollution and greenhouse gasses.

The study, which assessed the effect of increasing PHEVs in the U.S. fleet of light- and medium-duty vehicles from 2010 to 2050, was funded by FirstEnergy Corp. and more than a dozen utilities and organizations around the U.S. It was released today.

"The reports' conclusion makes a strong case for electricity as a transportation fuel option, and we are pleased to participate as a collaborative partner," said Anthony J. Alexander, president and chief executive officer. "This study should help stimulate future commercialization of PHEV technology, which would benefit the environment as well as our customers."

The research also addressed persistent concerns about PHEV use in the transportation sector, which is now dependent on petroleum-based fuels. It concluded that:

-- The electric motors in PHEVs run much more efficiently than the internal combustion engines in traditional vehicles, reducing the total amount of energy necessary to power the vehicle. -- The widespread use of PHEVs would result in modest improvements in air quality due to reduced automotive exhaust pollution through transitioning a portion of transportation fuel to lower-emitting electricity generation. -- PHEVs will generate significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the transportation industry by reducing dependence on fossil fuels for powering vehicles. -- Based on this national study, PHEVs should not increase demand for electricity during peak hours, but primarily use electricity produced during off-peak periods when there is excess capacity readily available.

"By systemically addressing these issues, this study represents a milestone for demonstrating the viability of electricity-based power as an alternative to our near total dependency on petroleum-based transportation fuels," said Steve Specker, EPRI president and chief executive officer.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. Its seven electric utility operating companies comprise the nation's fifth largest investor-owned electric system, based on 4.5 million customers served within a 36,100-square-mile area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey; and its generation subsidiaries control more than 14,000 megawatts of capacity.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. These statements typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms "anticipate,""potential,""expect,""believe,""estimate" and similar words. Actual results may differ materially due to the speed and nature of increased competition and deregulation in the electric utility industry, economic or weather conditions affecting future sales and margins, changes in markets for energy services, changing energy and commodity market prices, replacement power costs being higher than anticipated or inadequately hedged, the continued ability of FirstEnergy's regulated utilities to collect transition and other charges or to recover increased transmission costs, maintenance costs being higher than anticipated, legislative and regulatory changes (including revised environmental requirements), and the legal and regulatory changes resulting from the implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (including, but not limited to, the repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935), the uncertainty of the timing and amounts of the capital expenditures needed to, among other things, implement the Air Quality Compliance Plan (including that such amounts could be higher than anticipated) or levels of emission reductions related to the Consent Decree resolving the New Source Review litigation, adverse regulatory or legal decisions and outcomes (including, but not limited to, the revocation of necessary licenses or operating permits and oversight) by the NRC (including, but not limited to, the Demand For Information issued to FENOC on May 14, 2007) and the various state public utility commissions as disclosed in our SEC filings, the timing and outcome of various proceedings before the PUCO (including, but not limited to, the Distribution Rate Cases and the generation supply plan filing for the Ohio Companies and the successful resolution of the issues remanded to the PUCO by the Ohio Supreme Court regarding the Rate Stabilization Plan) and the PPUC (including the transition rate plan filings for Met-Ed and Penelec and the Pennsylvania Power Company Default Service Plan filing), the continuing availability and operation of generating units, the ability of generating units to continue to operate at, or near full capacity, the inability to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits from strategic goals (including employee workforce initiatives), the anticipated benefits from voluntary pension plan contributions, the ability to improve electric commodity margins and to experience growth in the distribution business, the ability to access the public securities and other capital markets and the cost of such capital, the outcome, cost and other effects of present and potential legal and administrative proceedings and claims related to the August 14, 2003 regional power outage, any final adjustment in the purchase price per share under the accelerated share repurchase program announced March 2, 2007, the risks and other factors discussed from time to time in our SEC filings, and other similar factors. We expressly disclaim any current intention to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

FirstEnergy Corp.

CONTACT: Ellen Raines of FirstEnergy Corp., +1-330-384-5808

Web site: http://www.firstenergycorp.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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