PSC Agrees with Public: Protect Low-Income Ratepayers, Preserve Solar

PSC Agrees with Public: Protect Low-Income Ratepayers, Preserve Solar

CHARLESTON, West Virginia – The West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) has ruled on a proposed large rate increase case that implicates customer bills and policies that affect how customer-owned solar power would work. By an order entered late on Thursday, August 28, 2025, the PSC decided how some utility programs will work for customers and made decisions on what AEP’s West Virginia utilities will be allowed to charge to ratepayers. West Virginia Citizen Action Group (WV CAG), Solar United Neighbors (SUN) and Energy Efficient West Virginia (EEWV; collectively WV CAG/SUN/EEWV, or CSE) intervened in the case.

The overall rate impact was slashed by the PSC from $250 million to about $76 million. The actual rates impact will be delayed and the exact increase will not occur until later. In addition, there are several significant reductions in costs that will be passed along to ratepayers. What was ruled on in today’s order will have significant impacts to ratepayers who wish to take control of their energy bills. WV CAG/SUN/EEWV advocated for, and won, nearly all of its positions. 

Op ed: AEP’s Low-Income Customers Are in Crisis. It’s Time to Act.

Op ed: AEP’s Low-Income Customers Are in Crisis. It’s Time to Act.

For thousands of low-income customers of Appalachian Power Company and Wheeling Power Company (AEP), affording basic electricity service is a constant struggle rather than a given. In vast swaths of the company’s service territory, residents pay far more than the national average to keep the lights on.1 To make matters worse, there are currently two pending proposals to increase the rates of AEP customers.

APCo-filed testimony admits coal dependence risks to PSC amid $250M rate hike request

APCo-filed testimony admits coal dependence risks to PSC amid $250M rate hike request

The West Virginia Public Service Commission published a column from its chairman, Charlotte Lane, on June 26 titled, “Happy Birthday, America.” What starts off as a festive nod to Independence Day, though, quickly turns into an embrace of West Virginia’s coal dependence.

Lane signals support for President Donald Trump and West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey's administrations being “committed to promoting coal as a domestic energy source” before acknowledging that “the resurrection of coal may take a little time as we work through new incentives from Washington and at the local level.”

Survey finds West Virginians eager to declare independence from higher electric rates

Survey finds West Virginians eager to declare independence from higher electric rates

CHARLESTON — Results from a new survey show that West Virginians are ready to declare their independence from higher electric rates, fossil fuels, and utility regulators. And a proposed bill of rights could help ratepayers secure their rights.

Representatives of West Virginians for Energy Freedom held a conference call Tuesday afternoon to go over the results of a survey conducted by Echelon Insights with 500 registered voters in the state between March 29 and April 1 regarding their perceptions about electric rates and energy.

Follow WV4EF