FOR APPROVAL OF A MODIFICATION TO ITS RATE
ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE, RPS-RAC, TO RECOVER THE
INCREMENTAL COSTS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
VIRGINIA RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO PROGRAM
PURSUANT TO TITLE 56 OF THE VIRGINIA CODE
CASE NO. PUR-2022-00146
•Appalachian Power Company (‘‘APCo’’) has applied for approval to revise its rate adjustment clause, RPS-RAC, related to its voluntary RPS program.
•APCo requests approval to return approximately $9.4 million to customers as a sur-credit through its RPS-RAC from June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024.
•The Hearing Examiner appointed to this case will hold a telephonic hearing on March 8, 2023, at 10 a.m., to receive public witness testimony.
•The Hearing Examiner will hold an evidentiary hearing on March 9, 2023.
•Further information about this case is available on the SCC website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.
On September 29, 2022, Appalachian Power Company (‘‘APCo’’ or ‘‘Company’’) filed a petition (‘‘Petition’’) with the State Corporation Commission (‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to the Commission’s Final Order in Case No. PUR-2021-00048 and the Commission’s broad ratemaking authority under Chapter 10 of Title 56 of the Code of Virginia (‘‘Code’’), for approval to revise the rate adjustment clause (‘‘RAC’’) that APCo uses to recover the incremental costs of participation in its voluntary renewable energy portfolio standard (‘‘RPS’’) program (‘‘RPS-RAC’’) previously established under the now repealed provisions of Code § 56-585.2. Specifically, the Company seeks approval to return approximately $9.4 million to customers as a sur-credit through its RPS-RAC from June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024. According to the Petition, this update will reduce the current sur-credit that customers receive from the current RPS-RAC from $0.00116 to $0.00110 per kilowatt hour.
Citing the repeal of Code § 56-585.2 and the replacement of the voluntary RPS program with a mandatory RPS program by the Virginia Clean Economy Act, APCo also requests that the Commission order that the RPS-RAC be discontinued and no longer applicable to customers as soon as its corresponding sur-credit has been fully depleted. Specifically, the Company asks that the RPS-RAC rate schedule no longer be applicable to customers, effective June 1, 2024, and that any under or over-recovery balance at that point be considered part of the Company’s cost of service.
Interested persons are encouraged to review the Petition and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals.
TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Petition and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Petition and supporting documents.
The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on APCo’s Petition. On March 8, 2023, at 10 a.m., the Hearing Examiner assigned to this case will hold a telephonic hearing, with no witness present in the Commission’s courtroom, for the purpose of receiving the testimony of public witnesses. On or before March 1, 2023, any person desiring to offer testimony as a public witness shall provide to the Commission (a) your name, and (b) the telephone number that you wish the Commission to call during the hearing to receive your testimony. This information may be provided to the Commission in three ways: (i) by filling out a form on the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCinfo@scc.virginia.gov; or (iii) by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at
scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting.
On March 9, 2023, at 10 a.m., in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, the Hearing Examiner will convene a hearing to receive testimony and evidence related to the Petition from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff (“Staff”).
The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health issues related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs, or other documents required to be served in this matter shall be submitted electronically to the extent authorized by 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (‘‘Rules of Practice’’). Confidential and Extraordinarily Sensitive Information shall not be submitted electronically and should comply with 5 VAC 5-20-170, Confidential information, of the Rules of Practice. Any person seeking to hand deliver and physically file or submit any pleading or other document shall contact the Clerk’s Office Document Control Center at (804) 371-9838 to arrange the delivery.
Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission has directed that service on parties and the Commission’s Staff in this matter shall be accomplished by electronic means. Please refer to the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing for further instructions concerning Confidential or Extraordinarily Sensitive Information.
An electronic copy of the Company’s Petition may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Noelle J. Coates, Esquire, American Electric Power Service Corporation, 3 James Center, 1051 East Cary Street, Suite 1100, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or njcoates@aep.com.
On or before March 1, 2023, any interested person may file comments on the Petition by following the instructions found on the Commission’s website:
scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Those unable, as a practical matter, to submit comments electronically may file such comments with the Clerk of the Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00146.
On or before December 7, 2022, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation at
scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file a notice of participation electronically may file such notice by U.S. mail with the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel. A copy thereof also must be sent to counsel to the Company. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by Rule 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00146.
On or before January 4, 2023, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. Any respondent unable, as a practical matter, to file testimony and exhibits electronically may file such by U.S. mail with the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. All testimony and exhibits shall be sent to the Staff, the Company, and all other respondents simultaneous with its filing. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00146.
Any documents filed in paper form with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission in this docket may use both sides of the paper. In all other respects, except as modified by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, all filings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice.
The Company’s Petition, the Commission’s Rules of Practice and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing may be viewed on the Commission’s website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.
APPALACHIAN POWER COMPANY
