By rssfeeds-admin The in-person and virtual meeting was held at the commission’s office on Brooks Street in Charleston as Hope Gas seeks a $79.6 million rate increase for its customers across 37 counties in the state.
Residents from multiple counties spoke out against the proposal, warning that higher rates could force customers to choose between paying for heat and buying food.
“Thank God we have a Public Service Commission that stands between us and greedy corporate interests,” one resident said.
Another speaker, an independent gas producer, said the increase “would assure that I would go out of business. But maybe that’s the point of putting independent oil and gas producers out of business.”
“Truthfully, West Virginia cannot afford any increase,” another resident said.
Every person who spoke at the hearing opposed the hike in rate, voicing concerns about affordability and the potential burden on working families and small businesses in light of the delay in SNAP Benefits and other resources.
An evidentiary hearing on the proposal was scheduled for Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
In a statement, Hope Gas said it recognizes the impact of price increases but emphasized the need to maintain safety and reliability.
“Hope Gas is proud to be a meaningful contributor to job creation, economic development, and the delivery of American energy in West Virginia,” the company said. “We understand the impact price increases have on families and businesses, and we have done all we can to minimize the amount of this request while ensuring we can continue to provide the safe, reliable natural gas service necessary for our customers today and maintain the infrastructure needed for the state’s future. We believe in the future of West Virginia, and serving the families and businesses here is our priority.”
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