Published: August 27, 2008 07:07 pm      

Officials encourage citizens to sign petition protesting APCO’s 24 percent rate increase

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Town officials are taking aggressive steps to protest a 24 percent rate increase proposed by Appalachian Power Company.

A petition protesting the proposed rate increase will be placed at both town hall and the town treasurer’s office, Bluefield, Va., Mayor Don Harris said Wednesday. Harris said the town is urging all citizens who are concerned about the base rate increase and fuel factor rate increase proposed by Appalachian Power to sign the petition. The petition in return will be hand-delivered to the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which must rule on the company’s rate increase request.

“The vast majority of the citizens in Bluefield, Va., are on a limited or fixed income,” Harris said. “We now have citizens who have to choose between food and medicine. This is going to create an additional hardship upon them.”

Harris said the Virginia State Corporation Commission has significantly scaled back prior rate increase requests by Appalachian Power. Harris said Town Council is once again urging the commission to scale back the 24 percent base rate increase request by the utility provider.

“That is exactly what we are hoping for,” Harris said. “That is why we are reaching out and asking the citizens to voice their opinion by the way of signing the petition, and voice their opposition to the rate hikes.”

Harris said the town is aware of fuel, and other increases, faced by Appalachian Power.

“I feel they should in all honesty be given some amount — but not that amount,” Harris said.

Harris said town officials will be joined by Tazewell County Attorney Eric Young, who is protesting the rate increase on behalf of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors, at the upcoming rate increase public hearing this October in Richmond.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com