PSC Rejects MonPower Proposal

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia told two electricity utilities it is imposing stricter standards to reduce interruptions in service to their customers.
The commission rejected a proposal from Monongahela Power Co. and The Potomac Edison Co. to maintain current target levels for reducing service interruptions during the next five years.
The companies proposed to maintain current levels, saying customers seem to be satisfied with their efforts to provide electricity.
But the commission disagreed.
“The targets, however, are intended to set goals for improved electric reliability in West Virginia,” the commission said. “The commission is not satisfied with the frequency and length of outages experienced by West Virginia customers.
“We believe that setting gradual improvement levels for reliability will send the proper signal,” the commission ruled.
As a result, the commission set the new standards to require a 2 percent improvement. It also suggested ways the companies might meet those new targets.
The commission told the companies to file petitions by May 1, 2027, to enable the PSC to evaluate their progress. It also told the companies to propose new targets at that time.