What's Next in State Utility Regulation

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia and its approximately two hundred fifty Staff are located in Charleston. The Mountain State is small but mighty and ranks fifth among states for the most energy production, with abundant sources of coal, natural gas, and crude oil.

West Virginia aspires to be the number one energy producing state according to Commission Chair Charlotte Lane, who welcomes nuclear power into its mix. Lane has an all-of-the-above attitude as the Commission grapples with the issue of increased power demand as data centers look to settle in the state.

Recently passed legislation, the Power Generation and Consumption Act, aims to make the state even more attractive for feeding energy-hungry industries. Public Utilities Fortnightly’s Paul Kjellander talked with Chair Lane to see what’s next as he kicked off a series of discussions with State Commissions Chairs. Look for more in the coming months of PUF.

In West Virginia, an energy producing state, how would you describe your state’s relationship with energy?’s>