This bill proposes the establishment of a new article in the Code of West Virginia, specifically Article 24-2J, which mandates that all public and private utility systems that receive rate increases must allocate 5% of the funds from these increases into an "infrastructure improvement" fund. The bill outlines that this fund is intended for repairs and improvements to physical utility infrastructure, such as water lines, electrical transmission lines, treatment facilities, and power generation substations. It explicitly states that the funds cannot be used for routine maintenance and can only be utilized for new infrastructure improvement projects.

Additionally, the bill prohibits utilities from passing the costs associated with this fund onto consumers through any fees or future rate increases. This measure aims to ensure that the financial burden of infrastructure improvements does not fall on the customers while promoting the enhancement of utility services in West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 24-2J-1