IAEGER — In hopes of proving a point today with members of the state Public Service Commission, Kirk Riffe took a camera with him during a recent drive through Route 52 in Iaeger, and Route 3 in Panther.
Riffe photographed a large number of trees that are leaning on, or in danger of falling on, power lines in Iaeger and Panther. He is hoping to present the photographs to the PSC tonight during a public hearing at Iaeger High School.
“It’s just nonsense,” Riffe said. “If it comes another heavy snow, the trees are already on them. It isn’t going to take much to break those lines. From December to March, you would think there would have been some progress. And we haven’t seen that.”
At the request of Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, the PSC will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. at the high school as part of its inquiry into widespread power outages in southern West Virginia following the Dec. 18, 2009, monster storm.
Chafin is urging residents of McDowell County to attend this evening’s public hearing. According to Chafin, the commission will be ruling on another 8.2 percent rate increase for Appalachian Power in June.
“We were stuck running a generator for nine days straight, and those poor folks in Panther went almost two weeks (without electricity),” Riffe said. “I think with an organization as big as AEP it (electricity) would have been restored quicker. But anytime you talked to them it was just chaos.”
Riffe said residents of McDowell County are concerned over skyrocketing electric bills and revelations from a Freedom of Information Act filing by Chafin that revealed Appalachian Power executives were paid large bonsues.
“If you look at the vegetation around those lines — and that is what Sen. Chafin is trying to bring out — if you can afford to pay those half million dollar bonuses — why can’t you afford to cut some of that vegetation around those lines.”
Riffe said some residents in McDowell County have received electric bills as high as high as $1,000 or more.
“I was talking to a lady who got a $1,400 bill that has added up, and she can’t afford to pay it,” Riffe said. “Going forward she will still have to pay bills on top of it. When is it going to end?”
– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com
Local News
March 18, 2010
Unhappy McDowell residents can make voices heard tonight
- Local News
-
-
AFTERNOON UPDATE: State police need help finding missing Princeton teen
- AFTERNOON UPDATE: Officials say no foul play suspected in fatal fire
- AFTERNOON UPDATE: Spay-neuter supporters plan second push before Mercer commission
- MORNING UPDATE: Today is the deadline for voter registration in Va. primary
-
1 dies in fire
Virginia State Police arson investigators were called to Buchanan County on Sunday to investigate a fatal fire at a residence in Oakwood.
-
Officials transport 2 victims from I-77 wreck
-
Change taking place in Pocahontas
-
‘Mad scientist in charge of mad students’ creating battle bots at BSC
- Officials in Tazewell County looking forward to breaking ground on ATV trail system
-
Slick conditions result in several vehicle accidents
- More Local News Headlines
-
