Appalachian Power, along with Wheeling Power, submitted its Vegetation Management Program (VMP) filing Apr. 29 to the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) requesting a 19 percent or $16.3 million reduction in the VMP rate.
The VMP filing reimburses the company for the actual costs to manage vegetation along its power line rights-of-way. The company makes regular filings for adjustments to ensure the amount included in rates accurately reflects past and ongoing expenditures.
“We have more than 20,000 miles of rights-of-way in our heavily-forested West Virginia service area and managing vegetation along those rights-of-way involves an enormous amount of work,” said Chris Beam, Appalachian Power president and COO. “This filing will allow us to continue managing each mile of our distribution circuits about every five years.”
Currently the monthly bill for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours is $155.66. If approved as filed the adjustment would lower that amount by 1.36 percent or $2.11 beginning Sept. 1.
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