By Linda Mallet, West Virginia Citizens’ Action Group (with an editorial kibitz from Gary Zuckett)

This summer the Public Service Commission (PSC) is examining the issue of electric utility restructuring (aka deregulation). Due to legislation passed during the last session, the PSC is now investigating "whether West Virginia should adopt a plan for open access to the electric power supply market and for the development of a deregulation plan." Participants include representatives from American Electric Power, Allegheny Power, The AFL-CIO, The United Mine Workers, and the WV Coal Association to name a few. The goal is to determine if it would be in the public interest to deregulate the electric power market and, if so, the development of a deregulation plan.

One thing is for certain, utilities want deregulation to take place and on their terms. They want deregulation so they can sell more electricity by burning more coal. They want access to other markets. This would necessitate them building more power plants. The kicker is that they want to build these plants in West Virginia because we have cheap coal. Of course, they drag out the old argument of "economic development" for West Virginia. They have made no secret of this during the meetings. [Zuckett’s kibitz: Electric utilities have also been in the forefront of the movement to block the new EPA air emission standards - go figure].

West Virginia right now has one of the lowest electric rates in the country. At about six cents per kilowatt hour it’s less than half of what New York residents pay. The legislation mandates that restructuring be in the public interest of WV residents and for most people that means that their electric bills stay the same. The utilities say that in a free market prices might go up, they might go down.

So with deregulation in place, WV residents will live in a state where more coal is burned (for electricity exported to other markets) and probably our electric bills will go up. Does this sound like it’s in the best public interest?

Right now the deregulation plans are being drafted by the people that have the most to gain - the utility executives. Attend one of the public hearings listed below and let them know that you don’t want higher electric bills, more mining and pollution just so that they can make more money.

All meetings are at 7PM. Find out more by visiting the PSC’s Internet web site at www.state.wv.us/psc/electrest/elecindx.htm _