PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 22-0456-PWD-DU
GAULEY RIVER PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT
Staff Petition asking the Commission to Establish a Proceeding to Determine whether the Gauley River Public Service District is a Distressed or Failing Utility.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVIDENTIARY HEARING
On September 29, 2022, the Public Service Commission opened a proceeding to consider whether Gauley River Public Service District (Gauley River) is a distressed or failing utility under W. Va. Code § 24-2H-1, et seq. Gauley River provides service as a public water utility to approximately 1 , 179 residential customers, 42 commercial customers, 10 industrial customers, 10 Public Authority customers, and 1 resale customer in and around community of Gauley Bridge, Fayette County, West Virginia.
The Public Service Commission will conduct a public comment hearing beginning at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Gauley Bridge Town Hall, 1 Walnut and Jackson Street, Gauley Bridge, WV 25085, to receive public comments regarding, but not limited to, whether Gauley River is a distressed or failing utility and, if so, possible options available to bring the distressed or failing utility into compliance with appropriate statutory and regulatory standards concerning actual or imminent public health problems or unreasonable quality and reliability service standards.
The Commission will conduct an evidentiary hearing on March 30, 2023, beginning at 10:00 a.m., at Gauley Bridge Town Hall, 1 Walnut and Jackson Street, Gauley Bridge, WV 25085, to address the statutory elements of the Distressed and Failing Utilities Improvement Act, W. Va. Code § 24-2H-1, et seq., to determine whether Gauley River is a distressed or failing utility and whether the City of Summersville, West Virginia American-Water Company, and/or Kanawha Falls Public Service District are capable proximate water utilities that could provide services to help Gauley River or take over the operations of Gauley River.
The Commission will receive oral comments at the public hearing on March 2, 2023. Anyone desiring to file a written comment should do so as soon as possible, although comments will be accepted throughout the pendency of this proceeding. All written comments should state the case name and number and be addressed to Karen Buckley, Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323. Written comments also may be filed electronically via the “Submit a Comment” link on the Commission website at www.psc.state.wv.us.