PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 22-0631-PWD-DU
KANAWHA FALLS PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICff
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 October 11, 2022, the Public Service Commission opened a proceeding to consider whether Kanawha Falls Public Service District (Kanawha Falls) is a distressed or failing utility under W. Va. Code § 24-2H-1, et seq. Kanawha Falls owns and operates a localized water utility serving approximately 947 residential customers, 54 commercial customers, 6 industrial customers, 7 public authority customers and one resale customer for a total of 1,051 customers along the Kanawha River in the communities of Boomer, Alloy, Falls View, Charlton Heights, Boonesborough, Kanawha Falls, Glen Ferris, and Gauley Bridge, in Fayette County, West Virginia.
The Public Service Commission will conduct a public comment hearing beginning at 2:00 p.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 Kanawha Falls 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 April 27, 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 Kanawha Falls is a distressed or failing utility and whether West Virginia American-Water Company is a capable proximate water utility that could provide services to help Kanawha Falls or take over the operations of Kanawha Falls.
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 8 12, 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.