Press Release

PUC to Hold Input Hearings on PECO Filing Concerning Proposed Gas Reliability Station in Marple Township, Delaware County

Published on 5/10/2021

Filed under: Gas

Telephonic Hearings Scheduled for May 25, 26 to Gather Public Input from Concerned Individuals and Organizations

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today announced two days of late-May telephonic hearings to gather public input on a request by PECO Energy Company – Gas Division (PECO) related to a proposed gas reliability station in Marple Township, Delaware County.  PECO is seeking a finding by the PUC that two buildings for the proposed reliability station are necessary and should be exempt from local zoning, subdivision, or land development restrictions.

PUC Public Input Hearings

The public input hearings on PECO’s request are scheduled on the following date and times:

• Tuesday, May 25, 2021
  Hearings will begin at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
  
  
• Wednesday, May 26, 2021
  Hearings will begin at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Administrative Law Judge Emily DeVoe will preside over both hearings.

Signing Up to Testify for the Public Input Hearings

If you wish to testify at the telephonic public input hearing, you must register by Monday, May 24, 2021 at 10 a.m.  You may pre-register by email or by phone.

To pre-register by email, please email Judge DeVoe’s legal assistant, Nick Miskanic, at nmiskanic@pa.gov, and provide: (1) your first and last name, (2) the date and time of the hearing at which you wish to testify, (3) the phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing, and (4) if you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter. 

To pre-register by phone, please call Judge DeVoe’s office at 412-565-3550 and leave a message providing: (1) your first and last name, (2) the date and time of the hearing at which you wish to testify, (3) the phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing, (4) a phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing if we need to contact you, (5) your email address, if you have one, and (6) if you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter. 

Beginning at 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. on both May 25 and 26, customers will testify in the order they signed up. If you do not pre-register, you will not be able to testify.

If you intend to offer any exhibits at the public input hearing, you must email your proposed exhibit(s) to Judge DeVoe at edevoe@pa.gov by Wednesday, May 19, 2021. In your email to Judge DeVoe, you must copy all individuals listed in the “full service list” in the attached parties’ list.  Failure to comply with these instructions may result in you not being allowed to present your proposed exhibit(s).  Proposed video evidence must be submitted in an mp4 format and cannot exceed 2MB.  Proposed video evidence that does not meet this criteria will not be permitted. 

If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearings, we will make every reasonable effort to have an interpreter present. Please email the Presiding Officer at least three (3) business days prior to your hearing to submit your request. AT&T Relay Service number for persons who are deaf or hearing-impaired: 1.800.654.5988

NOTE:  If you do not wish to testify but want to listen to the public input hearing(s), please contact Judge DeVoe’s office by email at nmiskanic@pa.gov or phone at 412-565-3550 and provide your name and the hearing(s) you want to listen to so we can ensure we have adequate caller capacity on the conference bridge to accommodate all callers.

Participating in the Public Input Hearings

People pre-registered to testify during the hearings, along with parties interested in listening to the proceedings, must do the following:

• Dial the toll-free number listed below.
• Enter a PIN number when instructed to do so, also listed below.
• Speak your name when prompted – the telephone system will connect you to the hearing.
  
  Toll-free Bridge Number:              877.653.9972
  PIN Number:                                     29149724

PECO’s Proposed Gas Reliability Station

On Feb. 8, 2021, PECO filed a petition with the Commission for a Finding of Necessity for the situation of two buildings associated with a gas reliability station in Marple Township, Delaware County.  In its petition, PECO requests that the Commission make a finding that: (1) the situation of two buildings for a proposed gas reliability station is reasonably necessary for the convenience and welfare of the public and, therefore, exempt from any zoning, subdivision, and land development restriction of the Marple Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and the Marple Township Zoning Code; and (2) a proposed security fence appurtenant to the gas reliability station is a “facility” and is therefore exempt from local zoning requirements.

PECO provides natural gas service to about 537,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Offering Testimony at a Public Input Hearing

The PUC offers tips on how to participate in a public input hearing, including:

• Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.
• Any formal testimony that is offered during the hearing will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.
• Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.

About the PUC

The PUC balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Docket No.:  P-2021-3024328

Contact:

• David Hixson
  Deputy Press Secretary
  717-772-2766
  dhixson@pa.gov