By David Beard, The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN – The state Public Service Commission is mulling a rate-hike request from Mon Power and Potomac Edison – FirstEnergy sister companies serving most of northern West Virginia along with the Eastern Panhandle and western Maryland.
The companies project the rate hike would raise the average residential customer bill about $11.05 per month, from $115.05 to $126.10 – a 9.6% increase.
The proposal has drawn opposition from various consumer and energy advocacy groups, and from Longview Power, which operates a coal-fired power plant outside Morgantown and alleges a failed business proposal with the companies could have saved the ratepayers money.
The companies filed the request in August; new testimony in the case is due to arrive by the end of the business day Tuesday, Nov. 29; an evidentiary hearing is set for Dec. 8; and any approved changes would take effect Jan. 1…