Tag: Dominion Hope Gas

Dominion Subsidiaries End Weeklong Union Lockout in 6 States

An agreement has been reached to end a weeklong lockout at Dominion’s natural gas and interstate transmission subsidiaries.

Dominion Hope and Dominion Transmission agreed to end the lockout involving 915 workers in six states, while the United Gas Workers Union Local 69 vowed not to strike. The agreement, announced in a joint news release Wednesday, runs through April 1, 2017.

The statement says union members are scheduled to report for their regular shifts on Saturday. Bargaining on a new contract is set to resume early next month.

The lockout began Sept. 7 for workers in Ohio, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. A union official had said a union committee rejected an earlier contract agreement in part over medical insurance and pension proposals for new hires.

Dominion Subsidiaries Lock Out Union Workers in 6 States

Dominion’s natural gas and interstate transmission subsidiaries have locked out about 915 union employees in six states over what the company says is the union’s refusal to have its members vote on a tentative four-year contract.

Dominion says in a news release that the lockout was effective Wednesday for United Gas Workers Union Local 69 members working at Dominion Hope and Dominion Transmission in Ohio, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

The statement says the union refused to vote on the agreement signed Aug. 26, and its members can’t return to work until the contract is ratified.

The agreement gives union workers 2.5 percent raises in 2016 and 2017 and 2.75 percent raises in 2018 and 2019.

A union official didn’t immediately return a telephone message Wednesday.

Gas Companies Seek Surcharges for Infrastructure Programs

Customers of Mountaineer Gas and Dominion Hope could see small increases in their monthly bills to fund infrastructure replacement and upgrade programs.

Both companies have asked the Public Service Commission to approve such programs, which include surcharges to pay for projects.

Dominion Hope plans to invest about $158 million over five years in its program. Its proposed surcharge would add 62 cents to a residential customer’s average monthly bill.

Mountaineer plans to invest $75 million over five years in its program. If approved, a residential customer who uses an average of 6,000 cubic feet of natural gas per month would pay an additional 17 cents.

The companies’ proposals stem from legislation approved this year aimed at encouraging natural gas utilities to invest capital in infrastructure.

Gas Utilities in W.Va. Seek Approval to Cut Fuel Cost Rates

Natural gas utilities are seeking state approval to reduce what they charge customers to recover their fuel costs.

Mountaineer Gas, Bluefield Gas, Dominion Hope Gas and Peoples Gas each have filed requests with the West Virginia Public Service Commission to reduce the purchased gas portion of their rates.

Together, the PSC says the utilities serve more than 99 percent of natural gas customers in West Virginia.

The PSC said Wednesday that Mountaineer Gas has requested a rate cut of nearly 20 percent. Dominion Hope Gas proposes cutting its purchased gas rate by 41.5 percent.

Bluefield Gas has requested a 33.8 percent rate reduction, while Peoples Gas proposes a 41 percent cut.

Utilities’ purchased gas rates are adjusted annually.

 

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