We understand that under the laws governing power monopolies — sorry, utilities — companies are entitled to recoup their expenses and make a little extra for the […]
Tag: rate hike
We should embrace chances to speak up
Too often, we forget that there are ways to participate in government outside election season. For example — particularly on the local level — there are town […]
Hope Gas proposes timeline for PSC approval of rate hike request
MORGANTOWN — Customers could see an increase in their monthly gas bills if Hope Gas gets the go-ahead it needs. Hope Gas, Public Service Commission staff and […]
‘Regulated’ utilities not working anymore
Recently, Mon Power and Hope Gas both filed with the Public Service Commission for rate increases — requests that were met with public indignation. Figuring out how […]
May 21 letters to the editor
Debt ceiling: Recall the Solomonic judgment Those of us who read the Old Testament may recall the story of Solomon solving the dispute between two women each […]
If Mon Power buys Pleasants, only the shareholders win
“So when the company makes money the profit all goes to the stockholders and management, but when they lose money (by not investing in new tech) they […]
Guest essay: Pleasants deal bad for Mon County
Also unfair to MonPower consumers by Jim Kotcon The Pleasants power plant is a 43-year-old, 1,300-MW, coal-fired power plant in Pleasants County. MonPower’s parent company, FirstEnergy, tried […]
Federal Reserve’s continued rate hikes may be too much for economy
The Federal Reserve shocked no one last Wednesday when it announced another 25-basis-point hike to interest rates. Yet our lack of surprise doesn’t mean a lack of […]
Federal Reserve is right to suggest slowing rate hikes
Economies are not known for being simple things to untangle. Unlike in the physical sciences, where if you do enough calculations, you can shoot a projectile into […]
Get ready for winter heating bill sticker shock
For months now, West Virginia’s severance tax collections for energy production — primarily coal and natural gas — have been running way ahead of estimates. The state […]
