The Public Utility Commission has announced the dates for public hearings on Penelec’s rate increase request. They will be in late June and early July, and will be both in person and by telephone.
Overall, Penelec and its affiliated companies, Met-Ed, Penn Power, and West Penn Power, are seeking a very large increase of 34 percent in revenues, amounting to more than $503 million. For Penelec customers, the increase would be 9.8 percent, totaling $132 million per year. The average resident’s electric bill would rise from $200.96 per month to $220.75, based on one thousand kilowatts used.
The in-person hearings will be held at 1 PM and 6 PM on June 25th in East Stroudsburg, June 26th in Reading, June 27th in State College, July 9th in Erie, July 10th in Butler, July 11th in Greensburg, and July 12th in Washington.
The telephone hearings will be July 16th and 17th, also at 1 and 6 PM.
The PUC decision is due no later than January 1, 2025.
THE HEARING SCHEDULE:
- Tuesday, June 25 – Monroe County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
VFW Post #2540 and Canteen
546 Fawn Road
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 - Wednesday, June 26 – Berks County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Reading Public Museum (Ground Floor Auditorium)
500 Museum Road
Reading, PA 19611 - Thursday, June 27 – Centre County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Graduate Palo Alto (Coaly Ballroom A/B)
125 S Atherton Street
State College, PA 16801 - Tuesday, July 9 – Erie County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Erie County Public Library (H.O. Hirt Auditorium – Museum Entrance)
160 East Front Street
Erie, PA 16507 - Wednesday, July 10 – Butler County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Butler County Community College (Founders Hall – Parking Lot #6)
107 College Drive
Butler, PA 16002 - Thursday, July 11 – Westmoreland County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Greensburg Garden and Civic Center (Laurel Room & Iris Room)
951 Old Salem Road
Greensburg, PA 15601 - Friday, July 12 – Washington County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Double Tree by Hilton (Junior Ballroom)
340 Racetrack Road
Washington, PA 15301
Additionally, telephonic public input hearings have been scheduled for the following date and times:
- Tuesday, July 16
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m. - Wednesday, July 17
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Administrative Law Judge Gail M. Chiodo and/or Administrative Law Judge Katrina L. Dunderdale will preside over the various in-person and telephonic public input hearings.
Pre-Registering for the Telephonic Input Hearings
If you wish to testify at one of the telephonic public input hearings, you are encouraged to pre-register by 4 p.m. on Friday, July 12, 2024. If you do not pre-register and provide the necessary information, you may not have an opportunity to testify.
To pre-register by email, contact Judge Dunderdale’s Legal Assistant, Mary Swarner, at mswarner@pa.gov, and provide the following:
- Your first and last name.
- The date and time of the hearing at which you wish to testify.
- The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing.
- If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter.
To pre-register by phone, please contact Judge Dunderdale’s office at 412-565-3550 and leave a message providing the following:
- Your first and last name.
- The date and time of the hearing at which you wish to testify.
- The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing.
- A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing if it is necessary to contact you.
- Your email address if you have one.
- If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter.
If you do not wish to testify but want to listen to the public input hearing(s), please contact Judge Dunderdale’s office by email at mswarner@pa.gov or phone at 412-565-3550 and provide your name and the hearing(s) you want to listen to ensure adequate caller capacity on the conference bridge to accommodate all callers.
