Speakers powered by frustration at McDowell PSC hearing

IAEGER — People flowed into the Iaeger High School gymnasium and frustration poured out as scores of people put their thoughts on record during a West Virginia Public Service Commission public hearing on the power outage in southern West Virginia.

Nearly three months have passed since thousands of West Virginians survived the nightmare of a dark Christmas, but the memories seemed fresh and vivid for many of the people who were powerless following the Dec. 18, 2009, snow storm that knocked down power lines in the region and blocked highways for days.

“I was without power for 11 days,” Tiffany Bailey said. “I was without a telephone for 13 days. They said: ‘Well, did you call it into us?’ None of my neighbors had power either ... from Bull Creek, to Panther and Iaeger.”

Dale Lee, a native of Ikes Fork, Wyoming County, who now lives in Princeton, made an eloquent presentation on behalf of his father, David Lee, who was among the thousands who lived for a time without electricity. “Coming from Ikes Fork, I know how difficult it is every day,” Lee said. “These people have major problems.”

Lee explained that although people of Wyoming and McDowell counties built the wealth of West Virginia by laboring in the coal mines, but now “they are treated like red-headed stepchildren,” he said. “It’s time that our voices be heard,” Lee said. He said that even without electricity, his father’s electric bill increased by $100 during the month he did not have power for 9 days. “This country has grown on the backs of these people,” Lee said. “It’s time to give them the services they deserve.”

Michael A. Albert, chairman of the PSC, sat at a table on the stage of the IHS gym. He provided a detailed explanation of the purpose of the hearing, and said he would share the feelings of the people with Appalachian Power Company officials when they come to the PSC to request a rate increase later this month. Albert said that the PSC had earlier hearings in Clarksburg last week and at Logan earlier this week, but later in the hearing in Iaeger, he said he thought the crowd at IHS was the largest of the three. There were 417 people in the bleachers along with dozens more in the hallway and outside the building.

Other members of the PSC staff spoke to the people attending the hearing — telling them that they really wanted to learn from them what caused the power outages, the difficulties they faced and how the utility responded to the situation. Byron L. Harris, director of the Consumer Advocate Division of the PSC said that the agency has already examined the event. “What we can’t know in our offices in Charleston is what happened on the ground here,” Harris said.

Robert Addair of Upper Litwar said during the days his power was off in December, “that was the highest my juice bill has ever been,” he said. “Juice” is a colloquial term for electricity. “If you live where I live, if it’s a cloudy day, the power will go off.”

Albert asked speakers to limit their presentations to about three minutes, and opened the floor to state legislators present. Senate Majority Leader, State Senator H. Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, also pointed out that many people in southern West Virginia experience problems with utilities. “You don’t have to have a snow storm to have the power go off,” Chafin said.

Chafin said that in his opinion, APCO doesn’t have enough staff in the region. He said that he spoke with some repair crews who were working in southern region after the Dec. 18, 2009 storm who were from Mississippi. While he thanked them for their efforts, he pointed out: “These people from Mississippi don’t know where Panther is,” he said. Chafin also got a strong reaction from the crowd when he discussed the salaries of some top APCO executives.

State Senator John Pat Fanning, D-McDowell, said he was in the county and “made it through with a little heater.” He expressed his thought that APCO contract crews clear vegetation from the power lines along U.S. Route 52, “but these lines up the hollows don’t look good,” he said. He also expressed concerns that the high power bills may prompt elderly people to do without medicines to pay their utility bills.

Delegate Daniel J. Hall, D-Wyoming, said he and his family went without electricity for 8 days. “It came on Christmas Eve, went back off, and came back on again on Christmas Day,” he said, recalling the experience. “I share the same thoughts that the senators do.”

Ray Bailey, president of the McDowell County Commission admonished local legislators for not introducing legislation to block APCO rate increases, and explained that while he used less kilowatt hours in January 2007 compared to his usage in December 2009, his utility bill increased by almost $200.

Bailey got a strong response from the audience when he made reference to Albert’s request that everyone turn off their cell phones. “I’d love to turn my cell phone on,” Bailey said, and encouraged the PSC to take action to have AT&T and Verizon to install cell towers in the region.

Several others put their comments on record. Gordon Lambert, also a member of the McDowell County Commission, said that the storm “may have been a blessing” because it may prompt action on the region’s electrical service problems. “We’ve been having problems with AEP, how long?” Lambert asked of the audience. Hundreds of people shouted in unison: “Years!” Lambert paused, turned back to Albert and said: “Years,” and added: “Folks, don’t let this stop.”

– Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com

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