Press Release

Consumer Reminder: PUC Public Input Hearings for Rate Changes Proposed by Wellsboro Electric, Valley Energy and Citizens Electric Company of Lewisburg

Published on 8/15/2025

Filed under: Electric Gas

In-Person and Telephonic Hearings Next Week to Gather Public Testimony from Impacted Consumers and Businesses in North-Central PA

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today reminded consumers and other interested parties about four in-person and telephonic hearings next week to gather public input on the proposed rate changes by three affiliated utilities serving customers in north-central Pennsylvania – Wellsboro Electric Company (Wellsboro Electric), Valley Energy Inc. (Valley Energy) and Citizens’ Electric Company of Lewisburg (Citizens’ Electric).

Collectively, these utilities serve several thousand electric and natural gas customers in parts of Bradford, Northumberland, Tioga and Union counties.

Telephonic Public Input Hearings

• Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025
  Two telephonic public input hearings will be held, with hearing #1 starting at 1 p.m. and hearing #2 beginning at 6 p.m.

See the following instructions to pre-register for the telephonic hearings.

In-Person Public Input Hearings

Two in-person public input hearings will be held at the following location:

• Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025 – Tioga County
  Deane Center for Performing Arts Inc.
  104 Main Street
  Grand Community Room – 2^nd Floor
  Wellsboro, PA 16901
  The hearings will begin at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

PUC Administrative Law Judge Mary Long will preside over the hearings.

Participating in a Telephonic Public Input Hearing

To testify at a telephonic public input hearing, you are encouraged to pre-register by Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2025.  If you do not pre-register, you may not be able to testify.  Individuals will testify in the order in which they pre-register. You may pre-register by email or by phone.

To pre-register, please contact Judge Long’s office by phone at 412-565-3550 or email Judge Long’s legal assistant, Mary Swarner, at mswarner@pa.gov and provide:

• Your first and last name;
• The date and time of the public input hearing at which you wish to testify;
• The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing;
• A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing if we need to   contact you; and
• If you require an interpreter to participate, the language of the interpreter.

Consumers wishing to participate in a telephonic public input hearing may call in using the information, as listed below:

• You must dial the toll-free number: 866-566-0649.
• You must enter a PIN number when instructed to do so: 83345259.
• You must speak your name when prompted and press #.
• The telephone system will connect you to the hearing.

If you do not wish to testify but want to listen to the public input hearing(s), please contact Judge Long’s office by email at mswarner@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.

Note: Individuals representing themselves 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.

Hearing Exhibits

If you have any hearing exhibits to which you will refer during the hearing, please email your exhibits to the administrative law judge at malong@pa.gov.  The administrative law judge will forward your exhibits to all the parties.  Exhibits must be received by Monday, Aug. 18, 2025.

Requests for Interpreters

Individuals requiring an interpreter to participate in the hearing should pre-register as soon as possible.  Every reasonable effort will be made to have an interpreter present.  If you register too close to the hearing date, there may not be enough time to arrange for an interpreter.

The AT&T Relay Service number for persons who are deaf or hearing-impaired is 1-800-654-5988.

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.
  
  

Other Ways to be Heard

If you want to be heard about the proposed rate increase(s) but do not want or cannot testify at a public input hearing, you may file a formal complaint or comment to the proposed rate increase(s).  Please visit the PUC’s website to use the applicable form.

If you have questions about the public input hearings or a company’s requested rate increase, please contact the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) – which represents the interests of utility customers before the PUC.  You may contact the OCA toll free at 1-800-684-6560 or by email at consumer@paoca.org.  Additionally, the OCA can help consumers pre-register for the public input hearings.

Wellsboro Electric Proposed Rate Changes

Wellsboro Electric proposes an increase in annual revenues of $2.9 million (22%).  As proposed, the total monthly bill for a residential customer using 700 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month would increase from $142.75 to $168.97 (18.4%).  The company also proposes an increase in the residential customer charge from $12 to $16.50 (37.5%).

Wellsboro Electric serves approximately 6,500 electric customers in the Borough of Wellsboro and in the townships of Charleston, Delmar and Middlebury in Tioga County.

Valley Energy Proposed Rate Changes

Valley Energy proposes an increase in annual revenues of $1.6 million (19%). As proposed, the total monthly bill for a residential customer using 76 Ccf per month would increase from $66.81 to $78.84 (18%).  The company also proposes an increase in the residential customer charge from $12.35 to $14.00 (13.4%).

Valley Energy serves more than 7,400 natural gas customers in Bradford County, including in the boroughs of Athens, Monroe, Sayre, South Waverly and Towanda as well as the townships of Asylum, Athens, Monroe, North Towanda, Towanda, Ulster and Wysox.

Citizens’ Electric Proposed Rate Changes

Citizens’ Electric proposes an increase in annual revenues of $1.79 million (11%). As proposed, the total monthly bill for a residential customer using 1,250 kWh per month would increase from $163.89 to $181.51 (11%).  The company also proposes an increase in the residential customer charge from $13.10 to $16.50 (26%).

Citizens’ Electric serves nearly 7,200 electric customers in the Borough of Lewisburg and surrounding communities in Union and Northumberland counties.

A final PUC decision on the three proposed rate increases is due by Jan. 29, 2026.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission 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 X, 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-2025-3054392 – Wellsboro Electric
R-2025-3054393 – Valley Energy
R-2025-3054394 – Citizens’ Electric

Contact:

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