Allegheny to test distrubition changes in W.Va.

Spokesman Allen Staggers says one test involving a Morgantown office complex aims to show how Allegheny can interact with a customer's equipment to increase efficiency and take advantage of fluctuating electricity prices.

Staggers says the second project will test Allegheny's ability to automatically detect and isolate outages to cut the number of powerless customers to the smallest number possible.

The third project is one of nine funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Staggers says it combines elements of the other two and will test the ability to optimize energy use by 2,300 Morgantown homes and businesses.