First Energy Corp. Inc. and Allegheny Energy Inc. are asking West Virginia regulators to approve their proposed merger.

The companies say their application for approval includes agreements to complete and staff a transmission operations in Fairmont. The application was filed yesterday with the West Virginia Public Service Commission.

Akron, Ohio-based FirstEnergy announced in February that it was buying Greensburg, Pa.-based Allegheny in a $4.7 billion stock deal. The merger would result in a company made up of 10 utilities serving 6.1 million customers from Ohio to New Jersey.

The merger also must be approved by regulators in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.