The PSC Should Put Ratepayers First

West Virginians should not be forced to pay more for expensive electricity.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission is considering rules that could increase electric bills by encouraging monopoly utilities to run their power plants even when less expensive electricity is available from the regional power market.

That is not how an affordable electric system works.

West Virginia utilities need to use the lowest-cost reliable electricity available to serve their customers, whether that power comes from a utility-owned plant or elsewhere on the regional grid.

What could these rules mean for you?

Under the proposed rules, your electric utility could be required to run its coal-fired power plants nearly all the time, even when operating those plants costs more than purchasing electricity from the market. These additional costs can be passed directly to families, seniors, small businesses, and other ratepayers through higher electric bills.

West Virginians have already paid millions of dollars in unnecessary costs when utility-owned power plants operated at a loss. These rules could encourage utilities to run those expensive plants even more frequently, potentially nearly doubling how often they operate regardless of whether they are the most affordable option.

Reliability and affordability must go together.

West Virginians deserve reliable electricity. We also deserve electric bills we can afford.

The Public Service Commission’s responsibility is to protect the public interest and ensure that utility service is fair, reliable, and reasonably priced.

These proposed rules risk putting utility interests ahead of the people who pay the bills.