Politics & Government
Local Leaders Applaud Swift Response To A Request Made To PSC, Local Utility Companies
"We thank Chairperson Charlotte Lane and the PSC for taking proactive measures to make sure our utility companies are prepared."
March 26, 2020
The Kanawha County Commission and Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin would like to applaud the swift response by Chairperson Charlotte Lane, Commissioner Brooks McCabe, Jr., and Commissioner Renee Larrick and the Public Service Commission during the COVID-19 crisis. On March 20, the Kanawha County Commission and Mayor Goodwin jointly sent a letter requesting that the Public Service Commission “issue an order to all utility companies to plan, prepare, and pre-stage resources just as they would for a major weather event”. The attached response was received from Chairperson Lane yesterday evening, detailing a teleconference meeting she and the PSC commissioners had with leaders from all the major utility companies.
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Commission President Carper said, “We applaud the leadership of Chairperson Lane and her swift action to advise our utility companies to prepare for the severity of a mass outage during this unprecedented health crisis. What used to be considered an inconvenience, could now be considered a matter of life and death. Thank you to our utility companies for rising to the occasion.”
Commissioner Salango said, “We want to ensure that our health care professionals, first responders, and citizens are safe during these unknown times. We have thousands of students depending on technology for their education, and we must make sure they are provided with the means to do so. We included our telecommunications companies in this request because right now, the internet is not only a line of communication but a lifeline.”
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"We thank Chairperson Charlotte Lane and the PSC for taking proactive measures to make sure our utility companies are prepared in case of inclement weather," said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. "In this time of uncertainty, it is a comfort to know that we have contingency plans in place for such an event."
This press release was produced by the City of Charleston. The views expressed here are the author’s own.