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Exhibit 23 (a)
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this
Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February
3, 2000 relating to the financial statements and financial
statement schedule, which appears in Allegheny Energy, Inc's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999.
We also consent to the reference to us under the heading
"Experts" in such Registration Statement.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July 14, 2000