Press Release

PUC Schedules Public Input Hearings Regarding Philadelphia Gas Works’ Weather Normalization Adjustment

Published on 1/20/2023

Filed under: Consumer Education Gas

Telephonic Hearings Scheduled on March 9, 2023, to Gather Public Input from PGW Customers and Other Concerned Parties

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has scheduled a pair of telephonic hearings on March 9, 2023, to gather public input on the Weather Normalization Adjustment (WNA) used by Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW).

PGW provides natural gas distribution services to approximately 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the City of Philadelphia. 

PUC Public Input Hearings

 The PUC telephonic hearings to gather public input on PGW’s WNA are scheduled for the following:

• Thursday, March 9, 2023 – Telephonic hearings will begin at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

PUC Administrative Law Judge Marta Guhl will preside over the hearings.

Signing Up for the Public Input Hearings

To testify at a telephonic public input hearing, you must pre-register with the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) no later than 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.  Interested persons can pre-register by email at consumer@paoca.org or by phone at 1-800-684-6560 and provide:

      (1) your first and last name;

      (2) the date and time (10 a.m. or 6 p.m.) 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.

To participate in the public input hearings, you may use the following call-in information:

     Toll-free Bridge Number:  1-866-675-3641 
     PIN Number:  37082098 
     (NOTE: Please speak your name when prompted, and press #)

If you do not pre-register and provide the information listed above, you may not be able to testify.  Individuals will testify in the order in which they pre-register.   

NOTE:  If you do not wish to testify but want to listen to the public input hearing(s), please contact the OCA to obtain the call-in information (same contact information as listed above) and provide your name and time(s) you want to listen to the public input hearing(s).  Again, the deadline for signing up for the public input hearings is Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. 

Interpreters and Assistance Registering

If you require an interpreter, please pre-register as soon as possible.  If you register too close to the hearing date, we may not have enough time to arrange for an interpreter.  If you request an interpreter, we will make every reasonable effort to have one present. 

If you need assistance pre-registering to testify, you may have someone register for you, but they will need to provide all the information listed above.  Additionally, if more than one person in your household would like to testify, one person may pre-register for other individuals in the same household, but all the information listed above is needed for each individual testifying. 

Relay service number for persons who are deaf or hearing-impaired is 800-654-5988.

Exhibits

If you intend to offer exhibits at the public input hearing, you please email your proposed exhibit(s) to the OCA at consumer@paoca.org.  The OCA will forward the exhibits to Administrative Law Judge Guhl and all parties.  Exhibits must be received by March 7, 2023.

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 these criteria will not be permitted. 

NOTE:  Individuals are not required to be represented by an attorney.  All others, including corporations, partnerships, associations, trusts, governmental agencies or subdivision, must be represented by an attorney.  An attorney representing you should file a Notice of Appearance before the scheduled hearing date.

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.

PUC Investigation of PGW Weather Normalization Adjustment

A WNA is an automatic adjustment clause that adjusts customer bills when the actual weather varies from “normal” weather levels.

On September 15, 2022, the PUC moved to suspend a proposal from Philadelphia Gas Works to modify their WNA – allowing for a full investigation and analysis of the changes requested by PGW. 

Per that September 2022 PUC order, the Commission is investigating PGW’s proposed changes to the WNA. While PGW’s original WNA currently remains in place, the PUC order also called for broader consideration of the reasonableness of PGW’s existing rates, rules, and regulations as part of this investigation. 

About the PUC

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 Nos.:
R-2022-3034229
P-2022-3034264

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov