PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 24-0789-G-PC
HOPE GAS, INC.
Petition to abandon facilities
NOTICE OF FILING AND HEARING
On October 1, 2024, Hope Gas, Inc. (Hope), a public utility, filed with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia a Petition for prior consent and approval to abandon approximately 1,068 miles of pipelines and related facilities, or “Red Lines.” On January 15, 2025, Hope filed an Amendment to its Petition stating that Diversified Midstream LLC had agreed to non-binding terms to acquire all of the Red Lines from Hope.
The Red Lines proposed to be abandoned are located in the counties of Barbour, Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Jackson, Kanawha, Lewis, Marion, Mason, Monongalia, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Wetzel, Wirt, and Wood. The Red Lines and locations are identified in the Petition, which is on file and available for public inspection at the Commission’s offices at 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia, and on the Commission’s website, www.psc.state.wv.us.
Hope maintains that from Hope’s perspective the pipelines can no longer provide safe, reliable, and economical gas service to the farm-tap customers or are in jeopardy of being unable to continue providing service. The pipelines are no longer necessary or useful to Hope’s provision of service to Hope customers and are uneconomical to continue to operate, maintain, or replace. Hope estimates that the cost to operate and maintain the pipelines will far exceed $10 million per year, and replacing the lines with new plastic pipelines will cost over $600 million. Hope does not seek a rate increase in this proceeding.
A hearing will be held by the Public Service Commission, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. on May 14, 2025, in the Howard M. Cunningham Hearing Room at the Commission’s offices at 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia. The Commission may cancel the hearing for good cause shown. Interested persons intending to attend the hearing should monitor the web docket.
Anyone desiring to protest the relief requested by Hope may file a written protest or request to intervene in Case No. 24-0789-G-PC, online, through the Commission website using the “Submit a Comment” link, by mail addressed to: Executive Secretary of the Public Service Commission at P.O. Box 812, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia 25323, or may appear at the hearing.
Anyone desiring to protest the relief requested by Hope may file a written protest or request to intervene that briefly states the reason for the protest or request to intervene. Requests to intervene must comply with the rules on intervention set forth in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and must be filed within ten (10) days following the date of this publication unless otherwise modified by Commission order. The Commission will receive public comments throughout the entirety of the proceeding. All written comments and requests to intervene should state the case name and number and be addressed to Karen Buckley, Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323. Public comments may also be filed online at http://vvww.psc.state.wv.us/scripts/onlinecomments/default.cfm by clicking the “Formal Case” link.
HOPE GAS, INC.