Hope Gasoline seeks PSC protecting order to withhold monetary data from public paperwork in its Morgantown pipeline mission

MORGANTOWN – Hope Gasoline in a Thursday submitting with the Public Service Fee defined why it doesn’t wish to disclose the projected prices and revenues related to its Morgantown pipeline mission.

It boils all the way down to doubtlessly decrease revenues and doubtlessly larger prices for the corporate and its clients, Hope mentioned in its movement for a protecting order in regards to the greenback figures, together with maps and drawings of the pipeline route.

Hope Gasoline filed with the PSC on Sept. 22 for its OK to construct a brand new 30-mile pipeline from Wadestown in western Monongalia County eastward to the sting of Morgantown after which northwest to a website close to Osage.

Hope mentioned it proposed the mission to satisfy elevated demand within the Morgantown space. “The Venture is required for Hope to take care of dependable pure gasoline service to its present clients within the Morgantown space, and isn’t being undertaken to particularly serve a brand new buyer or new buyer mission.”

All of the greenback figures within the public copy of the Sept. 22 submitting are redacted and known as confidential. However Hope mentioned it’s not in search of to alter any charges or impose any surcharges. It might get well prices in future base-rate and bought gasoline adjustment proceedings.

In Thursday’s submitting, Hope seeks to maintain data confidential in three areas, and cites numerous precedents for the request, “in accordance with the legal guidelines of the state of West Virginia and the fee’s procedures.”

First, one of many mission utility’s displays incorporates sure extremely detailed maps and drawings “that present exact areas of services that shouldn’t be disclosed for safety causes.”

Second, one other exhibit incorporates mission prices that ought to stay confidential as a result of sure mission work stays topic to a bidding procurement course of.

And third, testimony by Craig C. Colombo, Hope’s vp of gasoline provide, must be confidential the place he discusses estimated income from sure providers Hope would possibly present the place the pricing for such providers is topic to industrial negotiation with clients.

Disclosing projected prices and revenues, Hope mentioned, “can be dangerous to the extent it will prejudice and limit the corporate’s potential to barter the very best phrases and pricing for contracting for the providers required to assemble the mission, in addition to Hope’s potential to take action for future tasks, or for the providers Hope would possibly supply to producer clients.”

Hope mentioned the projections have industrial worth and disclosure would give different third events in negotiations with Hope “a chance to acquire enterprise benefit” over the corporate.

This might result in larger prices and decrease revenues for Hope and the supplier corporations it really works with, it mentioned.

Relating to the maps and drawings, Hope notes that they include particular plans and descriptions of present public utility crops and gear which are protected against disclosure underneath the state Freedom of Info Act.

The one trace on the doable value of the mission seems within the authentic submitting, the place Hope cites state code that units a time restrict for the PSC to render a remaining determination for any mission with a projected complete value exceeding $50 million.

Hope is in search of a PSC order by June 18, 2024. It says it should start development no later than Nov. 1, 2024, to suit inside slim authorized home windows for sure tree-clearing actions, and to be able to have the brand new services come into service by Nov. 1, 2025 – the start of that winter’s heating season.

Further restoration and cleanup would proceed to the second quarter of 2026.

Hope tasks the mission to generate about 600 development jobs, “the vast majority of which might be West Virginia-based labor.”

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