CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Kanawha County Commission announced Tuesday its formal opposition to Mountaineer Gas Company’s request to the Public Service Commission for a rate increase, questioning why the utility needs it and highlighting the possible strain that would be put upon users.

Kanawha County Commissioner Lance Wheeler is among those vocally pushing back on the request because he says citizens are reaching out and expressing concerns.

Lance Wheeler

“We’re getting a lot of constituents calling into our office as elected officials complaining that the rates continue to go up and up and up, and they feel that they don’t have the proper representation as consumer advocacy from the PSC that’s supporting their position,” he said Tuesday on 580 Live with Dave Allen.

Mountaineer Gas requests approximately $44.5 million in additional revenue, which the county commission says would raise average residential bills by 15 to 20 percent. Wheeler said constituents tell him they can’t handle an increase.

“This is something that we can’t afford. Our utility rates are going up. Inflation is going up. Things are more and more expensive. It’s time that somebody, and what that somebody is is the Kanawha County Commission, is fighting for the people of the state of West Virginia,” he said.

PSC data shows that residential natural gas costs rose nearly 28 percent between 2020 and 2024. Wheeler believes that has eroded the public’s trust in the PSC, and he wants to see something done about it.

“We need to do everything we possibly can to put the trust back in, and that’s why I’m actually asking the state to look at reforming for the Public Service Commission and looking at how other states are doing this in regulation,” he said.

As the county commission calls on the PSC to deny the request from Mountaineer Gas, Wheeler understands that this issue extends beyond just Kanawha County. He is calling on people from around the state to take a stand against what he believes is unjust.

“We need to really look into why these increases are necessary, and we need to say enough is enough. We need to have people join the Kanawha County Commission and join my office in telling the PSC that Mountaineer Gas needs to be rejected,” he said.

A release by the Kanawha County Commission earlier this week noted that Mountaineer Gas saw an increase in net income from 2023 to 2024.