PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 15-1256-G-390P
MOUNTAINEER GAS COMPANY, a public utility,
Charleston, West Virginia.
Infrastructure Replacement and Expansion Program
filing for 2016
NOTICE OF FILING AND HEARING
On July 31, 2015, Mountaineer Gas Company filed an Application for approval of an Infrastructure Replacement and Expansion Program (IREP) under the provisions of Senate Bill 390 that was enacted during the 2015 regular session of the West Virginia Legislature. Senate Bill 390 authorizes the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to approve expedited cost recovery of projects to replace, upgrade and expand natural gas utility infrastructure that are deemed to be just and reasonable and in the public interest.
In its Application, Mountaineer proposes to implement an Infrastructure Replacement and Expansion Program, a five-year plan scheduled to begin on January 1, 2016.. During this five-year period, Mountaineer proposes to invest approximately $73 million for infrastructure replacement and system upgrades, including $14 million in 2016. The IREP covers several categories of plant asset improvements, including mains, service lines, automated meter reading devices, regulator stations and other plant equipment. These plant investments are proposed to be made in areas serviced by 17 of Mountaineer’s 18 service centers that are distributed throughout its 49-county service territory in the State. These projects are identified in the Application, which is on file and available for public inspection at the Commission’s offices at 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia.
Mountaineer proposes to recover costs associated with these investments through an additional increment within the volumetric base rate component of its rates, to be effective on January 1, 2016. Mountaineer projects that if the program and rate increment are approved as requested, the average monthly bill for its various classes of customers will be changed on January 1, 2016, as follows:
$ INCREASE {4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} INCREASE AVERAGE USAGE
Residential $ 0.17 0.28{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} 6 Mcf
Commercial $ 0.39 0.15{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} 30 Mcf
Large Commercial $ 1.33 0.11{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} 444 Mcf
Industrial $ 2.61 0.17{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} 2,610 Mcf
Resale $ 5.20 0.11{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} 742 Mcf
The increases shown above are compared to the rates anticipated to be approved in Mountaineer’s pending base rate and gas cost proceedings, Case Nos. 15-0003-G-42T and 15-1134-G-30C. The new rates are expected to be implemented on November 1, 2015, and are projected to be lower than current Mountaineer rates. The increases shown above are based on averages of all customers in the indicated class. Each class may receive an increase greater or less than stated here. Individual customers may receive increases that are greater or less than average.
The Commission set a procedural schedule, including a hearing on the Application if necessary, that will begin at 9:30 a.m. on October 15, 2015, in the Howard M. Cunningham Hearing Room at the Commission’s offices at 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia. If no opposition to the Application is received by the Commission within one week of the hearing date, the hearing may be waived and the Commission may issue a final order within 150 days of the Application filing date.
Anyone desiring to intervene should file a written petition to intervene within 20 days following the date of this publication unless otherwise modified by Commission order. All requests to intervene should briefly state the reason for the request to intervene and comply with the rules on intervention set forth in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. The Commission will receive public comments until the beginning of the hearing. All written comments and requests to intervene should state the case name and number and be addressed to Ingrid Ferrell, Executive Secretary, P.0, Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323. Public comments may also be filed online at http://www.psc.state.wv.us/scripts/onlinecomments/default.cfm by clicking the “Formal Case” link.
MOUNTAINEER GAS COMPANY