PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF
WEST VIRGINIA CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 21-0813-E-US
MONONGAHELA POWER COMPANY and
THE POTOMAC EDISON COMPANY,
public utilities
Petition to Approve a Solar Project and related Surcharge.
NOTICE OF FILING AND EVIDENTIARY HEARING
On November 22, 2021, Monongahela Power Company and The Potomac Edison Company (collectively, Companies) requested that the Commission approve a solar generation construction project, as described in the filing, and implementation of a Voluntary Renewable Electricity Rider (Rider) and, to the extent required, an associated cost recovery surcharge (Surcharge) to provide solar power and its attributes and components under the provisions of Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 583 enacted in 2020 by the West Virginia Legislature. The Companies propose a 50 MW (nameplate) capacity solar project which consists of five separate solar locations in their West Virginia service territories. The locations of the five sites are: Wylie Ridge Substation in Brooke County; Ft. Martin Power Station in Monongalia County; a site near Davis along Route 93 in Tucker County; the R. Paul Smith Ash Site in Berkeley County; and the Rivesville Power Station in Marion County. Details of the locations and construction plans can be found on the Commission’s website at http://www.psc.state.wv.us.
The proposed Rider is a voluntary tariff offered on a first-come-first-serve basis to all customers in addition to the Companies’ standard tariff offerings. Its proposed price is $40 per megawatt-hour or 4 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which is an additional cost to the current service received. Costs of the solar project are paid by subscribing customers; however, any costs not subscribed and paid for by subscribing customers to the Rider will be recovered by a Surcharge paid by all other customers. Assuming no subscriptions to the Rider, the incremental revenue increase due to the Surcharge is estimated to be $4.6 million in 2024, $7.5 million in 2025, and $8.5 million in 2026, when all five solar sites are expected to be in service. The Rider and Surcharge are proposed to be reviewed annually by the Commission beginning September 2023. Assuming no subscriptions to the Rider, the Surcharge estimated rates for 2024-2026 by rate schedule are shown below:
The average monthly bill impact for the various classes of customers, assuming no subscription to the Rider, is proposed to be changed as follows:
Total Rate Increase with Proposed Surcharge (if Necessary)
Average Increase Average Increase Average Increase
Per Customer Per Customer Per Customer
2024 2025 2026
Residential $0.42 $0.72 $0.81
Commercial $1.32 $2.19 $2.46
Industrial $294.28 $430.24 $454.62
Streetlighting $0.25 $0.39 $0.38
Change Change Change
2024 2025 2026
Residential 0.4% 0.7% 0.8%
Commercial 0.4% 0.7% 0.7%
Industrial 0.2% 0.3% 0.3%
Streetlighting 0.1% 0.1% 0.1%
0.3% 0.5% 0.6%
The Surcharge increases are based on averages of all customers in the indicated class. Individual customers may receive changes that are greater or less than average. Additionally, cost allocation as approved by the Commission among customer classes could increase or decrease the extended bill impacts. The requested rates and charges are only a proposal and are subject to change (increases or decreases) by the Commission in its review of this filing. Any increase or decrease in rates and charges will not become effective until authorized and approved by the Commission.
This matter is scheduled for an evidentiary hearing on March 16, 2022. The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Howard M. Cunningham Hearing Room at the Public Service Commission Building, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia.
Anyone desiring to intervene should file a written petition to intervene no later than February 11, 2022. All petitions 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 petitions to intervene should state the case name and number and be addressed to Karen Buckley, Acting 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.
MONONGAHELA POWER COMPANY and
THE POTOMAC EDISON COMPANY
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