| Status: In theory, all residential customers
in the State are allowed to choose natural gas suppliers, but virtually
all customers still purchase gas from a local distribution company because no marketers are offering merchant services that would be an
alternative. |
| Overview: Unbundled service has been “on the
books” to all natural gas customers in West Virginia since 1986. Under
Senate Bill 117, passed in 1983, intrastate pipeline companies and local
distribution companies (LDCs) were required to be common carriers. The
procedural laws were completed in 1986 and covered all customer classes.
In order to receive unbundled service, customers must install metering
equipment or pay standby charges. According to the Public Service
Commission of West Virginia (PSC), only
a few residential customers received unbundled service in 2007. Some of these
customers have independent arrangements with producers or well owners for
natural gas supply that is transported by the LDCs. In
1996, the PSC initiated a general
investigation into ways to make customer choice easier by pooling
customers, and filed proposed rules in June 1998. However, no demand has
materialized for that type of service. Currently, pooling arrangements are
used for interruptible customers (generally industrial or large-volume
commercial users). According to the PSC, approximately 16 natural gas marketers are active in West Virginia. Marketers do not have to be licensed by the PSC unless they intend to pool customers, which would require registering with the PSC. No marketers are currently registered. |
| EIA State Data: In 2006, West Virginia had 353,292 residential customers who consumed 26 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas at an average price of $15.74 per thousand cubic feet. The commercial market was much smaller, at 23 Bcf and 34,748 consumers. The average price paid by commercial customers for natural gas purchased from local distribution companies was $14.38 per thousand cubic feet. |
| Eligibility and Participation in Retail Choice
Programs: |
Eligibility and Participation by Customer Class, December 2007
|
Customer Type |
2006 Customer Total |
Eligible 2007 |
Participating 2007 |
| Total
|
Percent of 2006 Customer Total |
Total |
Percent of Eligible |
Percent of 2006 Customer Total |
|
Residential |
353,292 |
353,292 |
100 |
3 |
(*) |
(*) |
|
Commercial |
34,748 |
34,748 |
100 |
550 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
|
Total |
388,040 |
388,040 |
100 |
553 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
(*)
= Less than 0.05 percent.
Sources: 2006 Customer Total:
Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Annual
2006 (October 2007). Eligibility
and Participation: Public Utility Commission of West
Virginia (February 2008). |
|