Legal 3 col x 6-1/2”
0503
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 23-0264-G-PC
HOPE GAS, INC. and PEOPLES GAS WV LLC
Joint Petition for Consent and Approval of Hope’s acquisition
of Peoples and the merger of Peoples into Hope
NOTICE OF FILING AND OF HEARING
On February 28, 2023, pursuant to W.Va. Code § 24-2-12, Hope Gas, Inc. (Hope), and Peoples Gas WV LLC (Peoples) (jointly Petitioners) filed a Joint Petition for Consent and Approval (Petition) for Hope to acquire all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Peoples and to merge Peoples into Hope. Peoples currently provides natural gas sales to approximately 12,917 customers in 15 counties in West Virginia.
The Petitioners assert that the acquisition transaction will have no adverse effect on Peoples’ or Hope’s customers, other public utilities, or the public in general. Following the transaction, the former utility assets of Peoples will be owned and operated by Hope, subject to the Commission’s continuing jurisdiction and regulation. Upon the closing of the acquisition, the former customers of Peoples will become customers of Hope.
Upon the closing of the transaction, Peoples’ customers will continue to pay Peoples’ existing base rates and PGA rate, until future filings are made by Hope as part of integrating Peoples’ assets and customers into Hope. Hope will not file its next Rule 42T base rate case to change base rates until a date on or after January 1, 2025. Peoples’ customers will begin paying Hope’s Pipeline Replacement and Expansion Program (PREP) rate increments upon the closing of the transaction. At close, Hope projects the below average monthly bill impacts for Peoples’ customers:
TYPE OF CUSTOMER ($) INCREASE (%) INCREASE
General Service – Residential $8.30 9.52%
General Service – Commercial Sales $26.99 7.01%
Commercial Transport – WV Produced $25.69 25.28%
Industrial Sales $32.30 0.98%
Industrial Transport – WV Produced $110.99 4.91%
The Joint Petition is on file with and available for public inspection at the Commission, 201 Brooks Street, 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 July 27, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. and continuing on July 28, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., if necessary, in the Howard M. Cunningham Hearing Room, Public Service Commission Building, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia. 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 on July 25, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., at the Lewis County Courthouse, Old Circuit Courtroom, 2nd Floor, 110 Center Avenue, Weston, WV, 26452.
Anyone desiring to intervene or protest should file a written request to intervene or protest no later than thirty (30) days following the date of this notice, unless such period is otherwise modified by Commission Order. Failure to timely intervene or protest can affect your right to participate in or protest aspects of this proceeding. All requests to intervene or protest should briefly state the reason for the request to intervene or protest and comply with the rules set forth in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. All written comments, protests, and requests to intervene should state the case name and number and be addressed to Karen Buckley, Executive Secretary, Public Service Commission of West Virginia, 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.
In the absence of substantial protest received within thirty (30) days of the issuance of this notice, the Commission may waive formal hearing and grant the Petition based on the Commission’s review of the evidence submitted with the Petition.
Hope Gas, Inc.
Peoples Gas WV LLC