Story by Ananya Rautela
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill requiring utilities to notify customers of planned and unexpected outages is one step away from becoming law and the bill’s sponsor expects Gov. Patrick Morrisey to sign it.
Mike Pushkin
Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, said Morrisey called him Monday and said he planned on approving the legislation.
Pushkin introduced HB 3263 in response to November 2023 massive gas outage on Charleston’s West Side. The service of Mountaineer Gas was interrupted for days after water from a West Virginia American Water Company water main break flooded 40 miles of gas lines impacting more than 1,800 customers.
“It was the governor and his chief of staff and he said ‘Brace yourself, I’ve got something shocking to tell you,’ and he said that he was signing my bill,” Pushkin said Tuesday on 580Live with Dave Allen.
The bill adds a new section to the West Virginia code requiring all utility companies to create outage communication plans.
The plans must include notification procedures for both planned and unplanned service disruptions.
“Its the way we should focus on legislation, its an issue that is affecting our constituents and we bring it to the legislature and make a case for it and every now an then a good.” said Pushkin.
Pushkin emphasized that the bill had strong support from the beginning including the backing of Appalachian Power and the state Public Service Commission.
Pushkin said many people were unaware of the November 2023 until the following morning.
“I think it’s a bill that will protect the ratepayers out here, people who are paying their utility bills and deserve to have better communication with their utilities,” Pushkin previously said.
Pushkin tried to get the bill through in the 2024 session but it fell short.
“So, I introduced the bill last year, it passed the House last year unanimously but it did not make it into the Senate. It was close to the end of session. Unfortunately in the end of session tempers start blaring and bills start getting pulled. So unfortunately it did not make it last year but it did pass this year and it passed unanimously,” Pushkin said.