HOUSE RESOLUTION 11
(BY Delegate Dillon)
[Introduced February 12, 2024; referred to the Committee on Technology and Infrastructure then Rules]
To urge and request that the Public Service Commission establish a framework that supports responsible competition between West Virginia Electrical Utilities.
Whereas, Consumers of electrical utilities in West Virginia have expressed widespread dissatisfaction with both rising rates and interruptions to service;
Whereas, An energy-rich state such as West Virginia should afford its citizens the lowest cost of electricity with the highest reliability;
Whereas, The public electrical utilities in West Virginia hold de facto monopolies in vast geographical areas; and
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the West Virginia House of Delegates requests that the Public Service Commission establish a framework to achieve the following key objectives:
Means of electrical production, including source of energy, process used in generation process, and management process of waste products;
Disclosure of federal/state/local subsidies received by producer toward support of production;
Statement of environmental management;
Utility customer service rate options, billing schedule, terms, and conditions;
Ensure that qualifications for prospective electrical utility operators include provisions for at least 20% reserve capacity beyond anticipated daily peak to provide robustness and flexibility to the grid in times of disaster and/or other disturbances;
Separate and distinct territories for maintenance of electrical grid infrastructure which shall be separate, unrelated entities from the electrical utility operators; and
Electrical utility operators shall contract with maintenance operators and factor such costs into the final rates offered to consumers; and, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the House of Delegates of the Legislature of West Virginia does hereby urge and request that the Public Service Commission establish a framework that supports responsible competition between West Virginia electrical utilities; and be it
Further Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Public Service Commission.