A part on a FirstEnergy Corp. 345-kilowatt transmission line broke on Tuesday afternoon, leading to a loss of power to about 15,000 customers, said FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin said.
The heat probably was not responsible for the break, Durbin said.

Security forces at FirstEnergy's Beaver Valley power plant apparently failed part of a routine "force-on-force" exercise in April. Beaver Valley contains two reactors.

The details of the force-on-force exercise are classified and may never be made public, but the NRC earlier this month warned the company in a public letter that it was considering a citation against the company because the security failure looked significant.

The company has already said it does not believe the force-on-force exercise results revealed any weaknesses in Beaver Valley's security strategies but more reflected how the exercise was controlled.

During federal force-on-force drills, paramilitary squads, typically consisting of former military people, try to breach plant security and sabotage the reactor.

Armed with laser-type weapons, they attack at night, try to defeat plant security teams, breach walls and other barriers to invade the most protected areas of the plant, which contain the reactor, spent fuel storage and other critical equipment.

The Commission appreciates the continuing efforts made by the Stipulating Parties, even after the close of the record in this matter, to offer compromises and counter proposals in a concerted undertaking to develop the Joint Stipulation that is now before us. We also understand the desire of the Stipulating Parties to move this matter to resolution with utmost speed. The Commission shares that desire; however, we will chalk up the suggested decision date of “no later than August 30, 2013,” to “corporate enthusiasm.’’ The issues to be decided in this proceeding are too numerous, too significant from a rate making and cost of service perspective, and too important to current and future ratepayers, Mon Power and PE, and the economy of the State to suggest that they be treated in anything other than a detailed and thoughtful manner by the Commission.

The Commission has maintained a policy of receiving testimony from stipulating parties that both explain and support their stipulations in cases with a substantial impact
on ratepayers, This proceeding, with  significant rate base and ratepayer impacts, and where all parties are not in unanimous agreement, requires that the Stipulating Parties address why the Joint Stipulation is in the public interest, and further requires the
opportunity for the non-signatories to state their positions and objections about the Joint
Stipulation.
The Commission, therefore, will require that all parties to this case appear at a hearing with a witness to state whether, and why, the Joint Stipulation is, or is not, in the public interest. The witnesses should also be  prepared to answer questions from the
Commission and the parties regarding the terms and conditions of the Joint Stipulation. In particular, and without limiting the scope of inquiry at this time, the Commission seeks further explanation and clarification about:

Section 1 1 .(a.), Employment Commitment;
Section 1 1 .(f,), Net Payment to AE Supply at Closing;
Section 1 1 .(g.)( l), Rate Base Amount for Surcharge;
Section 1 1 ,(g.)(2), Future Regulatory Treatment of Rate Base Amount;
Section 11 ,(i.), Adjustment to ENEC Rates;
Section 11 .(l,), Accounting for the Transaction; Source of and types of Capital for the transaction; and The effect of the total transaction and all related accounting entries
on the capital structure of Mon Power.

Charles Ashby Atkins, 78, of South Raleigh Street was arraigned Friday night by Magistrate Robert L. Lowe II on single misdemeanor counts of fraudulent schemes, obstructing, pedestrian on the interstate and failure to obey a traffic-control device, the court records said.

Atkins was spotted near the intersection of Apple Harvest Drive and exit 12 of Interstate 81 Friday evening holding a cardboard sign that read: “Can u help a vet, please thank u,” Trooper B.D. French said in a complaint filed against the defendant.

Atkins, who was found with $850 in cash and five unopened packs of cigarettes, said he was given the money and cigarettes by people while he sat near the intersection over the course of a few days, French said in the complaint.

French said Atkins told him he was “just attempting to get money from ‘people with sympathy’ to help him pay his utility bills,” when the trooper questioned him about why he was leading people to believe he was homeless by panhandling, the records said.

When asked why he did not obey multiple orders to stay away from the interstate, French said Atkins replied that he had “the most success there,” records said.

On July 18, Atkins, when found at the intersection panhandling, told French he was trying to get money for his camp, “nearby in town,” the records said.

On July 31, the defendant said he needed money to pay his electric bill before service was disconnected, records said.

When French asked him why he previously said the money was for food for his camp if he was not homeless, the defendant said he resided in an apartment in town, records said.

Atkins wouldn’t elaborate at that time when he was asked again why he previously stated he was homeless, records said.