The West Virginia Public Service Commission demonstrated exactly where its loyalties lie on Wednesday when it failed to show up for a Citizens' Public Hearing about a monumental billing foul up on the part of regulated monopoly Potomac Edison. Instead, the PSC sent their regrets and a statement making excuses for the company. As Senator Herb Snyder thundered during his remarks, "That's not their job!"
Potomac Edison also "respectfully declined" the invitation to participate without explanation. But then again, Potomac Edison doesn't need to explain itself when the PSC will gladly take one for the team.
This lack of responsiveness on the part of Potomac Edison and the regulators who are supposed to be protecting consumers from this utility monopoly clearly shows why a Citizens' Public Hearing was warranted.
More than 100 customers of Potomac Edison showed up for the hearing, and even though the guests of honor failed to make an appearance, state legislators, county commissioners, and a representative from U.S. Senator Manchin's office listened intently and sympathetically for more than two hours as a total of 26 citizens were heard.
The panel of public officials were raptly attentive and clearly flabbergasted at the what they heard, as Potomac Edison customers clutching handfuls of outrageous bills begged for help.
This lack of responsiveness on the part of Potomac Edison and the regulators who are supposed to be protecting consumers from this utility monopoly clearly shows why a Citizens' Public Hearing was warranted.
More than 100 customers of Potomac Edison showed up for the hearing, and even though the guests of honor failed to make an appearance, state legislators, county commissioners, and a representative from U.S. Senator Manchin's office listened intently and sympathetically for more than two hours as a total of 26 citizens were heard.
The panel of public officials were raptly attentive and clearly flabbergasted at the what they heard, as Potomac Edison customers clutching handfuls of outrageous bills begged for help.
There were audible gasps from the audience as citizens shared the amounts of monthly bills they had received. And even in the face of such adversity, many speakers applied humor to their situation. One threatened to rip the electric meter off the side of his home and send it to the CEO of FirstEnergy C.O.D. to see if the huge bills for an empty house would finally stop. Others related stories about Potomac Edison's excuses for not reading meters that had the audience in stitches. (Loose dogs are a deterrent at a property where the meter reader regularly shares space with a bull -- "He's a really nice bull," said the property owner.) Although Potomac Edison's lack of concern has been intended to beat its customers into submission to step in line and pay the bill they are issued, the customers' spirit has not yet been broken.
After every last citizen had been heard, the legislators took the podium, one by one, to pledge justice.
Del. Tiffany Lawrence said that Potomac Edison has shown a "lack of decency."
Del. Stephen Skinner characterized Potomac Edison as a "...monopoly with shoddy business practices."
Sen. Herb Snyder shook his fist while pledging, "This starts tonight. We are going to make the Public Service Commission accountable."
Sen. John Unger stated that after PATH, he thought FirstEnergy was "humbled in terms of how they treat people, but they have not learned their lesson."
We will be meeting with the legislators to keep you up to date about how they are keeping their promises to all of you. The fight has just begun!
After every last citizen had been heard, the legislators took the podium, one by one, to pledge justice.
Del. Tiffany Lawrence said that Potomac Edison has shown a "lack of decency."
Del. Stephen Skinner characterized Potomac Edison as a "...monopoly with shoddy business practices."
Sen. Herb Snyder shook his fist while pledging, "This starts tonight. We are going to make the Public Service Commission accountable."
Sen. John Unger stated that after PATH, he thought FirstEnergy was "humbled in terms of how they treat people, but they have not learned their lesson."
We will be meeting with the legislators to keep you up to date about how they are keeping their promises to all of you. The fight has just begun!
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