June 19, 2009

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to send out a reminder that Tuesday, June 23 is the last day to submit written comments opposing Appalachian Power’s proposed 12% rate increase. 

Below is the press release from the State Corporation Commission with information on how to speak out.   You can also visit the legislative coalition website at www.aepaction.org for more information on how to fight the rate increase.

I will be traveling to Richmond on Tuesday, June 30 to speak at the SCC rate case hearing.  In addition to this hearing, the SCC has agreed to host a public meeting on July 1, at 6:00 at Wytheville Community College’s Snyder Auditorium.  I strongly encourage everyone to come out and show our strong opposition to the rate hike. 

News Release

SCC SCHEDULES ADDITIONAL HEARING IN SW VIRGINIA TO RECEIVE TESTIMONY ON APPALACHIAN POWER FUEL RATE REQUEST 

RICHMOND — The State Corporation Commission (SCC) will hold a public hearing on July 1, 2009 in Wytheville on a request by Appalachian Power to increase the portion of the electric bill that pays for the fuel used to generate electricity. The additional hearing will give members of the public in Appalachian’s southwestern Virginia service territory a more convenient location to offer testimony as public witnesses.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in Snyder Auditorium on the campus of Wytheville Community College, 1000 East Main Street, in Wytheville. Any person wishing to testify at the hearing should arrive early and notify the SCC bailiff. Public witnesses are sworn in and are subject to cross-examination.

The Wytheville hearing will be in addition to a hearing on the request already scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 in Richmond. The Richmond hearing will be held in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building at 1300 East Main Street. Public witnesses may comment at the Richmond hearing in addition to the local hearing in Wytheville, but the Wytheville hearing will be for the sole purpose of receiving testimony from public witnesses.

The SCC intends to webcast the audio portion of the June 30 hearing via the Internet. Instructions can be found on the SCC website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.

Written comments on the fuel rate request must be submitted by June 23, 2009. All correspondence should be sent to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118, and refer to case number PUE-2009-00038.

Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so at the SCC’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Click on the PUBLIC COMMENTS/NOTICES link and then the SUBMIT COMMENTS button for case number PUE-2009-00038.

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