Charleston, West Virginia — The West Virginia Public Service Commission on Thursday issued an order to Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power Companies to provide more information on a request for a rate increase. The PSC said it was suspending the rate increase until the commission completes its investigation of the utilities’ request.
Some utility customers took to the streets, saying they were already struggling to come up with money to pay their bills. Dozens of members of the West Virginia Citizen Action Group marched in downtown Charleston to protest rising electricity prices.
“Someone came to my house the other day and said, ‘My goodness, it’s hot in here. What are you wearing?’ And I said, ‘We have to leave it at 73 because I can’t do it anymore. I can’t afford it,'” said homeowner Kitty Kelly-Smoot of Huntington.
Although the group encountered no counter-protesters, a woman identifying herself as a Laidley Tower security guard urged the group not to block staff through the main entrance and prevent them from leaving. The group continued to move down the sidewalk to continue to spread their message.
“In addition to the news of the proposed 18 percent rate increase for residential customers, we realized we had reached a critical mass,” said Daniella Parent, organizing director for the WVCA. “There were a lot of people who had a lot to say, and we wanted to give them an outlet to do so.”
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, residential prices in West Virginia have risen from about 6.27 cents per kilowatt hour to nearly 16 cents over the past 20 years—an increase of 255 percent.
“We’ve heard them. We know that charging extra money is a burden to our customers, so we try to always be conscious of that,” said George Porter, AEP’s communications director.
If the PSC decides on a tariff increase, it will not take effect until May 30, 2025.
