Randolph

Public Notice

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON

CASE NO. 22-0709-G-390P
MOUNTAINEER GAS COMPANY,
Surcharge on Infrastructure Improvements.

NOTICE OF FILING AND HEARING

On July 29, 2022, Mountaineer Gas Company (Mountaineer) filed its annual Application for approval of an Infrastructure Replacement and Expansion Program for 2023 (2023 IREP) with revised IREP rates for 2023, pursuant to W. Va. Code section 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, Mountaineer forecasts capital investment for calendar year 2023 of $64.2 million as part of its multi-year plan. The 2023 IREP covers several categories of plant asset replacements and improvements, including mains, service lines, measurement and regulator stations, and house regulators. These plant investments are proposed to be made in Mountaineer service territories throughout the State. These investments 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 and which may be viewed on the Commission’s website, www.psc.state.wv.us.
Mountaineer 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 January 1, 2023. Mountaineer projects that if the program and rate increase are approved as requested, the average monthly bill for its various classes of customers will be changed on January 1,2023 as follows:

Mountaineer Gas Company – Proposed
TYPE OF CUSTOMER $ INCREASE % INCREASE
Residential $1.56 2.15%
Commercial $4.44 1.50%
Large Commercial (*) $204.93 0.36%
Industrial (*) $302.96 0.68%
Resale $50.40 1.17%
(*) – Increases for Large Commercial and Industrial customers assume transport customers purchase their natural gas at the same price as the Company’s Purchased Gas Adjustment rate.

The increases shown above are compared to the rates currently in place and 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. Furthermore, the requested 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 date on the Application, if necessary, that will begin at 9:30 a.m., on November 16, 2022, continuing on November 17, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., if necessary, 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. The Commission my cancel the hearing for good cause shown. Any interested persons intending to attend the hearing should monitor the Commission web docket.
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 the Commission 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.

MOUNTAINEER GAS COMPANY
9/16