How West Virginia Electric Utilities Stack Up
West Virginia is served by a small number of electric utilities, all of which are regulated by the Public Service Commission. Appalachian Power provides service generally in the southern half of the state. First Energy Corporation operates in most other areas of the state through Mon Power and Potomac Edison. Two counties in the Northern Panhandle are served by Wheeling Power Co., a subsidiary of American Electric Power.
These companies regularly make the news, but usually for the wrong reasons. Either they are seeking rate increases or struggling to restore service after large storms or natural disasters such as floods. Appalachian Power’s current rate increase request, which would raise residential rates nearly 18%, was put on hold August 22, 2024, after consumers picketed PSC headquarters.
West Virginia ratepayers have faced a 90% increase in average residential electricity price from 2005 to 2020, higher than in all states except one. West Virginia had the nation’s third highest electricity costs as a percentage of household income, according to a 2022 study by Citizens Utility Board of Illinois.
In addition to being some of the most expensive power in the nation as a percentage of household income, it is also the dirtiest. The Citizens Utility Board study ranked the environmental impact from power generation in each state. West Virginia ranked absolutely dead last. This results from the fact that over 90% of electricity in the state is generated from coal.
West Virginia ranked 50th out of 51 jurisdictions in carbon dioxide emissions per gigawatt hour of electricity generated, and 42nd in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide per gigawatt hour. Carbon dioxide is a powerful greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. Sulfur dioxide causes acid rain, asthma attacks and cardiopulmonary disease. Nitrogen oxides cause respiratory problems, including wheezing and asthma.
West Virginians have grown accustomed to the state being last on many measures. But our position on electricity generation and related environmental factors is within our power to change. It takes political will among our elected leaders, which can only be assembled at the ballot box. Until we get serious about bringing new energy to Charleston, we will continue to lag in measures of public health and environmental cleanliness.
