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Do's and Don't's For Threatening Potomac Edison Employees

9/23/2013

0 Comments

 
While we all agree that Potomac Edison's customer call center is infuriating, here's how to cope without ending up in jail.

Don't

  • Threaten to get your gun, go to the Potomac Edison office and kill everyone you see.

Do

  • Threaten to file a complaint with the West Virginia Public Service Commission, and then follow through and do it.
  • Threaten to contact the members of Gov. Org. A who will be meeting this afternoon to discuss Potomac Edison's billing practices, and then follow through and do it.
Safety first, Potomac Edison customers!
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Listen Live to Legislative Investigation of Electric Billing Practices Today at 3:00

9/23/2013

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Lots of stuff to catch up on today now that I'm back in this time zone, but the most important thing going on today is the legislative discussion of the study regarding electric utilities' billing practices being held at 3:00 p.m.  You may listen live at this link.  When it's time for the meeting, the location will change to a "Listen Live" link.  I  hope you have already called or emailed the members of Gov. Org. to let them know about your concerns regarding your electric bill.  If not, here's a link to committee members.

Please do your part to inform the legislators about your concerns.  "Someone" isn't going to take care of it for you this time.  "Someone" has been busy helping other people for the past week, and "nobody" stepped up to fill the void.  It's "do-it-yourself" this time.

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PJM Planning Fails - Blackouts Ensue

9/13/2013

7 Comments

 
After years of wrongly insisting that we needed billions of dollars worth of new transmission lines to avoid "brownouts and blackouts," PJM Interconnection's incontrovertible transmission planning system failed massively on Tuesday, leaving thousands sweltering in record-breaking heat when it instituted rolling blackouts in order to avoid a cascading failure.

This story explains that PJM had allowed many different elements of its generation and transmission system to be out of service for maintenance on Tuesday, when one of FirstEnergy's transmission lines in Ohio failed.  The failure of this one line caused PJM to "order utilities to institute small, localized blackouts in Ohio and other states to prevent more widespread outages."
A part on a FirstEnergy Corp. 345-kilowatt transmission line broke on Tuesday afternoon, leading to a loss of power to about 15,000 customers, said FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin said.
The heat probably was not responsible for the break, Durbin said.
That's right... it was probably lack of proper maintenance as FirstEnergy continues to brag about cuts to its maintenance expenses in order to squeeze a few more pennies into shareholder dividends every quarter.

If this story is true however, then PJM has some 'splainin to do.  PJM told us we "needed" PATH because its system must be designed for contingencies where failure of one transmission line will not bring the whole system crashing down.  That would be irresponsibly poor planning.  Isn't that right, PJM?
7 Comments

Mon Power Story Makes People Angry

9/11/2013

2 Comments

 
Watch Toad blink and twitch his way through another fairy tale.

The people aren't buying it.  In fact, this story only makes them ANGRIER and more determined to show up at the upcoming public hearings in record numbers.

It seems many want to take Toad on for his lies.  How about it Toad?  Want to debate with your eager public?  Maybe we can all roll our eyes and make faces!

Anyhow, why not let the reporter know where she went wrong?  (Please be nice!)


2 Comments

Tell the WV PSC What You Think About FirstEnergy's Harrison Settlement

9/5/2013

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The Power Line tells us that the WV PSC has scheduled a hearing on FirstEnergy's proposed Harrison settlement for 9:30 a.m. on Friday, September 13.  Ooooh!  Scarily auspicious for FirstEnergy, don't you think?

After months of back and forth legal wrangling and a full-blown, three-day hearing at the PSC, FirstEnergy and all other parties to the case, EXCEPT West Virginia Citizens Action Group (WVCAG), agreed to a settlement.  However, a settlement is still subject to the approval of the WV PSC, and our Commissioners have said... not so fast, FirstEnergy.  Therefore,

"The Commission stated that it would require all parties to this case appear at a hearing with a witness to state whether, and why, the Joint Stipulation is, or is not, in the public interest."

Do you think the settlement is in the public interest?  Do you think it's in YOUR best interests?  If not, you need to let the Commissioners know.  Intense public scrutiny is what has caused this additional hearing, instead of the routine rubber-stamping of a contested settlement.  Only continued scrutiny will ensure justice!

So, how can you participate?  Our friends at the Coalition for Reliable Power have made it so easy that it will only take you 2 minutes!  Check out their "Take Action" section for suggested text and a link for submitting your comments online.  Do it now!

If you're too busy to spend two minutes now, you'll only have the next 27 years to regret it!
0 Comments

Meanwhile, Back At FirstEnergy Farms...

8/28/2013

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...Karma came a'knocking yesterday.

The Plain Dealer reports that FirstEnergy failed a Nuclear Regulatory Commission "force on force" exercise at its Beaver Valley nuke.
Security forces at FirstEnergy's Beaver Valley power plant apparently failed part of a routine "force-on-force" exercise in April. Beaver Valley contains two reactors.

The details of the force-on-force exercise are classified and may never be made public, but the NRC earlier this month warned the company in a public letter that it was considering a citation against the company because the security failure looked significant.

The company has already said it does not believe the force-on-force exercise results revealed any weaknesses in Beaver Valley's security strategies but more reflected how the exercise was controlled.

During federal force-on-force drills, paramilitary squads, typically consisting of former military people, try to breach plant security and sabotage the reactor.

Armed with laser-type weapons, they attack at night, try to defeat plant security teams, breach walls and other barriers to invade the most protected areas of the plant, which contain the reactor, spent fuel storage and other critical equipment.
FirstEnergy says that its failure was a result of the way the NRC inspectors conducted the exercise.
In other news,  a group of local residents filed a lawsuit alleging that FirstEnergy's Hatfield's Ferry coal-fired generator was damaging their health and their property.  Hatfield's Ferry is one of two plants that FirstEnergy has slated for closure in October.  Political hijinks have ensued, attempting to keep the plants open.  PJM has determined that the plants are necessary for reliability, but FirstEnergy is pretending to proceed with closure, hoping it might get a better deal if it continues this silly game of chicken.

And, closer to home, a Potomac Edison publicity stunt went wrong yesterday when spokesflack Crapaud Meyers got cornered about how the WV PSC General Investigation was going.

Unfortunately, the wanna be journalists at WHAG's summer training camp turned it into a one-sided infomercial, but that didn't dampen Crapaud's enthusiasm for twitching his way through making crap up.  Crapaud now says Potomac Edison is working on solving the problem, when just a few months ago, the company told the PSC that there was no problem to be solved.

Watch the video to enjoy Crapaud's newly-evident twitch.  What it is that FirstEnergy does to its employees that makes them twitch like that when they lie?
0 Comments

WV PSC Puts the Brakes on FirstEnergy's "Corporate Enthusiam" -- Orders Hearing on Harrison Settlement

8/27/2013

2 Comments

 
The WV PSC just issued an Order requiring all the parties who signed that ridiculous settlement agreement to have to defend it during oral argument before the Commissioners.

This is HUGE!
The Commission appreciates the continuing efforts made by the Stipulating Parties, even after the close of the record in this matter, to offer compromises and counter proposals in a concerted undertaking to develop the Joint Stipulation that is now before us. We also understand the desire of the Stipulating Parties to move this matter to resolution with utmost speed. The Commission shares that desire; however, we will chalk up the suggested decision date of “no later than August 30, 2013,” to “corporate enthusiasm.’’ The issues to be decided in this proceeding are too numerous, too significant from a rate making and cost of service perspective, and too important to current and future ratepayers, Mon Power and PE, and the economy of the State to suggest that they be treated in anything other than a detailed and thoughtful manner by the Commission.

The Commission has maintained a policy of receiving testimony from stipulating parties that both explain and support their stipulations in cases with a substantial impact
on ratepayers, This proceeding, with  significant rate base and ratepayer impacts, and where all parties are not in unanimous agreement, requires that the Stipulating Parties address why the Joint Stipulation is in the public interest, and further requires the
opportunity for the non-signatories to state their positions and objections about the Joint
Stipulation.
The Commission, therefore, will require that all parties to this case appear at a hearing with a witness to state whether, and why, the Joint Stipulation is, or is not, in the public interest. The witnesses should also be  prepared to answer questions from the
Commission and the parties regarding the terms and conditions of the Joint Stipulation. In particular, and without limiting the scope of inquiry at this time, the Commission seeks further explanation and clarification about:

Section 1 1 .(a.), Employment Commitment;
Section 1 1 .(f,), Net Payment to AE Supply at Closing;
Section 1 1 .(g.)( l), Rate Base Amount for Surcharge;
Section 1 1 ,(g.)(2), Future Regulatory Treatment of Rate Base Amount;
Section 11 ,(i.), Adjustment to ENEC Rates;
Section 11 .(l,), Accounting for the Transaction; Source of and types of Capital for the transaction; and The effect of the total transaction and all related accounting entries
on the capital structure of Mon Power.
Hooray for the WV PSC for putting the brakes on this crazy train!  And Hooray and THANKS to the WVCAG for being the only party to point the finger and loudly proclaim, "The Emperor is naked!"
2 Comments

Man Arrested For Panhandling to Pay His Potomac Edison Bill

8/27/2013

1 Comment

 
Well, you know what they say, necessity is the mother of invention, and one creative individual has come up with a new (if illegal) way to pay his outrageous Potomac Edison electric bill.

According to this article in the Herald-Mail: 
Charles Ashby Atkins, 78, of South Raleigh Street was arraigned Friday night by Magistrate Robert L. Lowe II on single misdemeanor counts of fraudulent schemes, obstructing, pedestrian on the interstate and failure to obey a traffic-control device, the court records said.

Atkins was spotted near the intersection of Apple Harvest Drive and exit 12 of Interstate 81 Friday evening holding a cardboard sign that read: “Can u help a vet, please thank u,” Trooper B.D. French said in a complaint filed against the defendant.

Atkins, who was found with $850 in cash and five unopened packs of cigarettes, said he was given the money and cigarettes by people while he sat near the intersection over the course of a few days, French said in the complaint.

French said Atkins told him he was “just attempting to get money from ‘people with sympathy’ to help him pay his utility bills,” when the trooper questioned him about why he was leading people to believe he was homeless by panhandling, the records said.

When asked why he did not obey multiple orders to stay away from the interstate, French said Atkins replied that he had “the most success there,” records said.

On July 18, Atkins, when found at the intersection panhandling, told French he was trying to get money for his camp, “nearby in town,” the records said.

On July 31, the defendant said he needed money to pay his electric bill before service was disconnected, records said.

When French asked him why he previously said the money was for food for his camp if he was not homeless, the defendant said he resided in an apartment in town, records said.

Atkins wouldn’t elaborate at that time when he was asked again why he previously stated he was homeless, records said.
So, how many copycat crimes will this cause?  And would it be a crime if you stood on a street corner with a bucket and a sign "Help Me Pay My Inaccurate and Outrageous Potomac Edison Electric Bill!"?  Probably not.  And it would probably be even more lucrative.  You can't mention the words "Potomac Edison" out in public around here without having bystanders chime into the conversation.  While out having coffee with a friend yesterday morning, those words were said and next thing you know we're in conversation with a gentleman who was simply standing nearby fixing his coffee.  Who hasn't gotten an outrageous bill or knows someone who has?  Would you feel sorry for someone stuck with an outrageous, inaccurate bill who was having their service shut off?  Would you toss in a few bucks?

Thanks, Potomac Edison!  Dishonest panhandlers!  Just one more service you provide!
1 Comment

Consumers to Pay for Jobs, Financial Contributions in FirstEnergy Harrison Settlement

8/26/2013

0 Comments

 
FirstEnergy has been defending its rate-increasing Harrison plant settlement by telling the media, "...the agreement includes a commitment to "bring more jobs" to West Virginia, and provides financial contributions for economic development, weatherization programs, low-income utility payment assistance and an education program to promote energy efficiency initiatives in the state's public schools."

And not one reporter was smart enough to ask Toad Meyers who would be paying for all these wonderful benefits?

1.  50 more jobs -  The cost of those jobs, just like the cost of all the other FirstEnergy employees, is recovered from consumers through electric rates.

2.  Financial contributions for economic development - As we've found in other cases, these rate credits for industrial users (like Century Aluminum) are merely deferred for later collection in a future rate case... where consumers will pick up the $2.3M cost.

3.  Weatherization programs - The settlement stipulates that this contribution is in addition to the $250,000
amount currently included in rates as a result of the Joint Stipulation in Case No. 09-1352-E-42T.  "Included in rates" means that consumers are paying for it.

4.  Low-income utility payment assistance - The settlement stipulates that this amount will be funded by customers.

5.  An education program to promote energy efficiency initiatives in the state's public schools - No mention of how this is going to be paid for.

6.  Additional energy efficiency programs - Paid for though consumer rate increases, just like the current programs.

So, what did FirstEnergy "give" West Virginia consumers in exchange for accepting the financial liability of a 40 year old coal plant?  The bill for its concessions!  Ridiculous!  The best FirstEnergy can do is to point to additional cost for consumers as a "benefit" of this transaction.

And if you think that's stupid, FirstEnergy did it one better!  Toad Meyers was his usual brilliant self... when asked about WVCAG's Objection to the settlement, Toad told the press:

"Just like any settlement agreement, there's a lot of negotiating, a lot of back and forth, give and take," said Todd Meyers, a FirstEnergy spokesman. "We all came to an agreement that people were comfortable enough with to sign and forward along to the PSC for recommendation."

Well, obviously if WVCAG refused to sign on to the settlement and has now filed an Objection to it, then ALL parties didn't come to an agreement.  Or maybe WVCAG was ostracized from participating in the settlement?  Or maybe WVCAG is just not "people?" 

Qu'est-ce que c'est, Crapaud, qu'est-ce que c'est?

0 Comments

Qu'est-ce que c'est "Annual Meter Reading Accounts," FirstEnergy?

8/26/2013

2 Comments

 
Don't you just love it when the mouth-breathers at FirstEnergy explain themselves into a corner?

On August 15, FirstEnergy filed its first monthly statistical report.  The Commission had previously ordered FirstEnergy to submit monthly data for at least a year so they could keep an eye on these shysters.

In its first report, "FirstEnergy stated that its data 'excludes annual meter reading accounts up through 11 months'.”

Now the Commission has ordered FirstEnergy to explain just what an "annual meter reading account" is, and provide statistical data on these accounts as well.

Shhh... if you know why the Commission did this, keep it to yourself.  I want to see if FirstEnergy's brain trust can figure this out on their own...

Too bad stupidity isn't painful.  Ha ha ha!
2 Comments
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    About the Author

    Keryn Newman blogs here at StopPATH WV about energy issues, transmission policy, misguided regulation, our greedy energy companies and their corporate spin.
    In 2008, AEP & Allegheny Energy's PATH joint venture used their transmission line routing etch-a-sketch to draw a 765kV line across the street from her house. Oooops! And the rest is history.

    About
    StopPATH Blog

    StopPATH Blog began as a forum for information and opinion about the PATH transmission project.  The PATH project was abandoned in 2012, however, this blog was not.

    StopPATH Blog continues to bring you energy policy news and opinion from a consumer's point of view.  If it's sometimes snarky and oftentimes irreverent, just remember that the truth isn't pretty.  People come here because they want the truth, instead of the usual dreadful lies this industry continues to tell itself.  If you keep reading, I'll keep writing.


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