Allegheny Files for Rate Adjustment in Virginia

GREENSBURG, Pa.--(Business Wire)--
Allegheny Energy, Inc. (NYSE: AYE) today announced that its subsidiary, The
Potomac Edison Company, has filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission
for a rate adjustment associated with the cost of purchasing power for its
customers.

The proposed adjustment adheres to a November 2008 settlement agreement that
permits recovery of purchased power expenses. As part of that settlement, the
Commission ordered Allegheny to file, not later than April 30, 2009, an
application for proposed recovery of purchased power costs for the period
beginning July 1, 2009.

In the filing announced today, Allegheny requests an increase of approximately
$19.4 million over current rates for the 12-month period beginning July 1, 2009.
This request is consistent with the results of a power auction announced in
December 2008. If approved, the average residential customer`s electric bill
would increase by $5.47, or 6 percent, to approximately $96 a month.

Even with the proposed increase, the monthly bill for a residential customer in
Virginia using 1,000 kilowatt-hours would be less than the state average of $98,
and well below the national average of $124.

Allegheny provides approximately 102,000 customers in Virginia with 3 million
megawatt-hours of power per year.

Allegheny Energy

Headquartered in Greensburg, Pa., Allegheny Energy is an investor-owned electric
utility with total annual revenues of over $3 billion and more than 4,000
employees. The company owns and operates generating facilities and delivers
low-cost, reliable electric service to 1.6 million customers in Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, visit the company`s
Web site at www.alleghenyenergy.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical information, this release contains a number of
"forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Words such as anticipate, expect, project, intend, plan,
believe, and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any
discussion of future plans, actions, or events identify forward-looking
statements. These include statements with respect to: rate regulation and the
status of retail generation service supply competition in states served by
Allegheny Energy`s distribution business, Allegheny Power; financing plans;
demand for energy and the cost and availability of raw materials, including
coal; provider-of-last-resort and power supply contracts; results of litigation;
results of operations; internal controls and procedures; capital expenditures;
status and condition of plants and equipment; capacity purchase commitments;
regulatory matters; and accounting issues. Forward-looking statements involve
estimates, expectations and projections and, as a result, are subject to risks
and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that actual results will not
materially differ from expectations. Actual results have varied materially and
unpredictably from past expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially include, among others, the following: plant performance and
unplanned outages; changes in the price of power and fuel for electric
generation; general economic and business conditions; changes in access to
capital markets; complications or other factors that render it difficult or
impossible to obtain necessary lender consents or regulatory authorizations on a
timely basis; environmental regulations; the results of regulatory proceedings,
including proceedings related to rates; changes in industry capacity,
development and other activities by Allegheny Energy`s competitors; changes in
the weather and other natural phenomena; changes in customer switching behavior
and their resulting effects on existing and future load requirements; changes in
the underlying inputs and assumptions, including market conditions used to
estimate the fair values of commodity contracts; changes in laws and regulations
applicable to Allegheny Energy, its markets or its activities; the loss of any
significant customers or suppliers; dependence on other electric transmission
and gas transportation systems and their constraints or availability; changes in
PJM, including changes to participant rules and tariffs; the effect of
accounting policies issued periodically by accounting standard-setting bodies;
and the continuing effects of global instability, terrorism and war. Additional
risks and uncertainties are identified and discussed in Allegheny Energy`s
reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Allegheny Energy, Inc.
Media contact:
Mark Nitowski, Manager, Corporate Communications
Phone: 724-838-6718
Media Hotline: 888-233-3583
E-mail: mnitows@alleghenyenergy.com
or
Investor contact:
Max Kuniansky, Executive Director, Investor Relations
and Corporate Communications
Phone: 724-838-6895
E-mail: mkunian@alleghenyenergy.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009