It’s all a part of the annual
Expanded Net Energy Charge. PSC Consumer Advocate Byron Harris explained
Wednesday what the agency looked for when reaching a number.
“It reflects the cost of fuel,
primarily coal, that they’ve purchased, as well as power they’ve purchased from
the wholesale market and revenues they get from selling it to wholesale
market,” Harris said. “It’s a net of all of those factors.”
This year that adds up to $50
million surplus, meaning a rate drop for customers.
“An average residential customer
will see the average monthly bill go down from the current level of $96.75 a
month to $93.82 a month,” Harris said.
That $3 decrease per month is not
the only decrease the PSC is considering.
“There are some other cases pending
before the Public Service Commission that may allow for further reductions,”
Harris said. “We just have to wait and see what happens with those.”
Those include the merger of
Appalachian and Wheeling Powers, the securitization of past-due bills and the
acquisition of the remaining portion of the John Amos Power Plant in Putnam County
Harris said if all those come
through, the news could be better for customers. But first the PSC has to sign
off on them.
Harris hopes the PSC approves the
Expanded Net Energy Charge by the end of the week. That would put the new
decreased rate into effect starting Sept. 1.
