For decades, West Virginians have benefitted from some of the lowest electricity rates in the country. However, West Virginians’ electricity rates have more than doubled between 2005 and 2022, outpacing the increases in all five surrounding states and in every other state in the country according to a new report prepared for West Virginia Citizen Action Group, Energy Efficient West Virginia, and Solar United Neighbors by Downstream Strategies.
Electricity in West Virginia is generated almost exclusively from coal-fired power plants. Other states have taken steps to diversify their fuel mixes, but West Virginia has taken a different approach. Decisions made by utilities and the Public Service Commission (PSC) have facilitated the state’s continued, near-exclusive reliance on coal. As detailed in this report, these decisions have had realworld consequences for West Virginians who pay more and more for their electricity.
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