West Virginians for Energy Freedom is disappointed to see yet another increase to electric bills for Appalachian Power customers, especially at a time when many families are already struggling with rising costs across the board. While the company describes this as roughly a $4.84 monthly increase for the average residential customer, West Virginians have faced repeated rate hikes in recent years that continue to add up and place real pressure on household budgets.
West Virginians deserve greater transparency, accountability, and a stronger voice in decisions that directly impact their utility bills. Too often, ratepayers are asked to absorb the costs of utility decisions without meaningful opportunities to participate in the process or fully understand the long-term impacts. A Ratepayer Bill of Rights would be an important step toward improving public participation, transparency, and consumer protections in these decisions.
As additional rate increases and costly infrastructure proposals continue moving forward, affordability must remain the priority for legislative action. We need stronger oversight, greater accountability, and more focus on practical, least-cost solutions that can help reduce pressure on both the grid and household budgets over the long term, including energy efficiency and other customer-focused strategies.
At the end of the day, West Virginians want reliable, affordable electricity, and that should remain the guiding principle behind every decision made by state leaders and the Public Service Commission.