WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2025 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 3173
By Delegates Hansen, Hornbuckle, Fluharty, Lewis, Garcia, Hamilton, Young, Williams, and Pushkin
[Introduced March 06, 2025; referred to the Committee on Energy and Public Works]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated ยง24-2-4i, relating to placing a two year a cap on electrical utility rates.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
## ARTICLE 2. POWERS AND DUTIES OF PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
(a) Legislative findings - West Virginians' electric rates more than doubled between 2005 and 2022, outpacing the increases in every other state in the country. Because West Virginians have the second lowest median income of any state, these electric rate increases have caused great hardship to lower income residents, including elderly residents living on monthly social security checks. In many instances electric bills are the single highest expense, particularly in the winter and summer. Rising electric rates also harm West Virginia's economy and impede the state's ability to attract technology businesses such as data centers and other industries that use large amounts of electricity.
(b) Electric utility rates capped - Notwithstanding any provisions of this article to the contrary, upon the effective date of this section, the Commission shall establish capped rates for each electric utility as follows:
(1) Capped rates shall be established for customers purchasing generation and distribution services from such an electric utility at the then-current rates; and
(2) Such capped rates shall be the rates in effect for each such electric utility until July 1, 2026. The Commission may only adjust such capped rates in connection with such electric utility's recovery of fuel and purchased power costs. Until the expiration or termination of capped rates as provided in this section, the incumbent electric utility shall make electric service available at capped rates established under this subsection to any customer in the incumbent electric utility's service territory. Rates after the expiration of capped rates shall equal capped rates until such rates are changed pursuant to the other provisions of this article.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide relief to West Virginia residents and businesses from the rocket ride of rapidly rising utility rates by placing a temporary cap on electrical utility rates.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.