PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 16-0717-G-390P
HOPE GAS, INC., dba DOMINION HOPE, a public utility
Clarksburg, Harrison County.
Surcharge on Gas Infrastructure Improvements.
NOTICE OF FILING AND HEARING
On May 31, 2016, Hope Gas, Inc., doing business as Dominion Hope filed its Annual Pipeline Replacement and Expansion Program (20 17 PREP) with revised PREP Rates, pursuant to W. Va. Code § 24-2-1k, which authorizes the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to approve 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, Dominion Hope projects PREP capital investment for calendar year 2017 of $26.6 million as part of its multi-year plan. The PREP covers several categories of plant asset replacements and improvements, including mains, service lines, customer service piping, regulator stations and other plant equipment. These plant investments are proposed to be made in Dominion Hope service territories throughout 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.
Dominion Hope proposes to recover costs associated with these investments through an additional increment within the fixed or volumetric, base rate component of its rates depending on the applicable rate schedule under which service is rendered, to be effective on November 1, 2016. Dominion Hope projects that if the program and rate increments are approved as requested, the average monthly bill for its various classes of customers will be changed on November 1, 2016, in accordance with Column A. However, depending on the outcome of this proceeding and tax-related treatment of accumulated deferred income taxes associated with a net operating loss, it is possible that the average monthly bill for its various classes of customers will be changed on November 1, 2016, in accordance with Column B:
Column A Column B
Dominion Hope Proposed Alternative
TYPE OF CUSTOMER $ INCREASE {4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} INCREASE $ INCREASE {4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} INCREASE
Residential $0.83 1.72{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} $0.91 1.88{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
Commercial $2.58 1.47{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} $2.77 1.58{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
Large Commercial $81.43 1.48{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} $88.13 1.61{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
Industrial $78.12 0.30{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} $84.54 0.32{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
Resale $90.69 0.75{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} $97.41 0.80{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
The increases shown are based on averages of all customers in the indicated classes. Each class may receive an increase greater or less than stated here. Individual customers may receive increases that are greater or less than average. Furthermore, the requested increased rates and charges are only a proposal and are subject to change (increase or decrease) by the Public Service Commission in its review of this filing. Any increase in rates and charges will not become effective until authorized and approved by the Public Service Commission.
The Commission set a procedural schedule, including a hearing on the Application, if necessary, that will begin at 9:30 a.m. on September 22, 2016, 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 petitions to intervene should briefly state the reason for the petitions 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 petitions to intervene should state the case name and number and be addressed to Executive Secretary, Public Service Commission of West Virginia, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323, with copies to Brien J. Fricke, Senior Counsel, Dominion Hope, 48 Columbia Boulevard, Clarksburg, West Virginia 26301 and Kurt L. Krieger, P.O. Box 1588, Charleston, West Virginia, 25326-1588.
HOPE GAS, INC., dba DOMINION HOPE
Sponsored by ZMM Architects and Engineers