Legal 3 col x 5”
0609
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 22-0294-G-PC
HOPE GAS, INC., dba DOMINION ENERGY WEST VIRGINIA and
HOPE GAS HOLDINGS, LLC
Joint petition for consent and approval for Hope Gas Holdings, LLC to
acquire Hope Gas, Inc., dba Dominion Energy West Virginia
NOTICE OF FILING AND HEARING
On March 11, 2022, pursuant to W.Va. Code § 24-2-12, Hope Gas, Inc., dba Dominion Energy West Virginia (Hope) and Hope Gas Holdings, LLC (HGH) (collectively Petitioners) filed a Joint Petition for Consent and Approval (Petition) for HGH to acquire all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Hope from Dominion Energy, Inc. (Dominion).
HGH is a Delaware limited liability company that is wholly owned by Hearthstone Holdings, Inc. (Hearthstone). Through separately owned holding companies, Hearthstone distributes natural gas to approximately 84,900 customers in Indiana, Maine, Montana, North Carolina and Ohio and water to about 11,400 customers in Arizona and Michigan.
Petitioners assert that, while the transaction will result in a new corporate owner of Hope, the employees and local leadership of Hope involved in the day-to-day operations of Hope will remain with Hope. Thus, the existing, day-to-day operational expertise of Hope will remain intact.
The Joint Petition is on file with and available for public inspection at the Commission, 201 Brooks Street, in Charleston, West Virginia, and is available online at the Commission website (www.psc.state.wv.us).
The Commission schedules this matter for evidentiary hearing to be held on August 23, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. and continuing on August 24, 2022, if necessary, in the Howard M. Cunningham Hearing Room, Public Service Commission Building, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia. The Commission may determine, in light of the COVID-19 situation, that the scheduled hearing will be conducted virtually, with the parties to the case appearing online. Interested persons should be able to view the evidentiary hearing via an internet livestream. The Commission website, www.psc.state.wv.us, contains links to “Case Information,” “Submit a Comment,” and “Commission Webcast.”
A public comment hearing will be held at the Harrison County Courthouse, Courtroom No. 2, 301 West Main Street, Clarksburg, West Virginia, on August 1, 2022, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Anyone desiring to intervene should file a written petition to intervene no later than 4:00 p.m., June 30, 2022. Failure to timely intervene may affect your right to participate in the proceeding. 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 and protests until the beginning of the hearing. All written comments, protests 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://www.psc.state.wv.us/scripts/onlinecomments/default.cfm by clicking the “Formal Case” link.
HOPE GAS, INC., dba DOMINION ENERGY WEST VIRGINIA
and HOPE GAS HOLDINGS, LLC