PSC OKs Hope Gasoline fee hike case for infrastructure work; separate however associated fee minimize case continues

MORGANTOWN – The state Public Service Fee on Friday accredited considered one of two fee circumstances filed by Hope Gasoline.

This one was filed in Might and is a fee hike for its Pipeline Alternative and Enlargement (PREP) program. State code permits the PSC “to approve price restoration of tasks to switch, improve and increase pure fuel utility infrastructure which might be deemed to be simply and affordable and within the public curiosity.”

The whole proposed hike of $66,537,753 covers two Hope applications: its Common Program for its core distribution system and its Gathering Program for gathering services. Hope estimates that the proposed fee hike will increase the month-to-month residential invoice by $6.45 monthly – 5.84%.

For 2023, Hope estimates prices of $64,037,753 for the Common Program and $2,500,000 for the Gathering Program.

PSC workers really useful on Aug. 1 that the PSC approve the hike and PSC issued its order on Friday.

Whereas it is a fee hike, the second case earlier than the PSC might lead to a web fee lower.

That case, filed Aug. 1, is Hope’s 2023 Bought Gasoline Software, which fuel corporations are required to file yearly to account for the price of the pure fuel they purchase and distribute.

Hope’s utility proposes a sequence of latest charges for numerous sorts of buyer, from resident to industrial and industrial.

For the typical residential buyer, Hope tasks the month-to-month invoice dropping by $19.60, a 16.93% lower.

However the lower received’t truly be that a lot. Hope factors out in its utility that has one other fee case earlier than the PSC awaiting ultimate approval, and that one is a fee hike. The 2 proposals will likely be factored collectively.

Hope instructed The Dominion Publish on Thursday that the proposed $6.45 hike could be subtracted from the $19.60 lower, to provide a projected fee minimize of $13.15.

Pending PSC approval of each circumstances, Hope tasks that the brand new fee would take impact Nov. 1, based mostly on buy prices for the interval beginning at that date.

The PSC referred the choice in Bought Gasoline Software case to an administrative legislation choose, setting an Oct. 1 deadline for an interim choice and Mach 28, 2024, for its ultimate choice.

PSC workers mentioned it’ll audit Hope’s bought fuel bills and ship interim and ultimate suggestions to the PSC inside its specified time-frame.

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