The West Virginia Public Service Commission will hold a series of hearings on Appalachian Power’s latest request to raise rates.
The PSC will take up Appalachian Power’s petition to recover $641.7 million from ratepayers.
The company has said in previous testimony that the price of coal and natural gas rose sharply in 2021 and remained high last year, making it necessary to raise rates to cover those costs.
The PSC is also investigating whether the utility managed its coal supplies appropriately. Appalachian Power found itself short on coal at its three West Virginia power plants in late 2021 and early 2022.
Four public comment hearings will be held, in Huntington, Princeton and Charleston in July and in Wheeling in August. Two evidentiary hearings will be held in Charleston in September.
Appalachian Power is an underwriter of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.