West Virginia

Why is it like this in West Virginia?

West Virginia's electricity rate of about 12.9¢/kWh gives PHEV drivers a cost advantage for electric miles over gasoline. The PSC denied most of Appalachian Power's $250 million rate increase request in 2025, approving only $76 million and keeping WV rates from a steep jump. Two headwinds loom: legislative mandates to keep coal plants open add ongoing costs to AEP's rate base, and Virginia's data center boom is driving PJM capacity prices higher — a cost that flows through to West Virginia ratepayers even though the state has little data center activity of its own.

In the news · West Virginia

• Public Service Commission denies bulk of AEP rate increase request for WV customers

  West Virginia Watch · Sep 2, 2025

  The WV PSC denied most of Appalachian Power's $250 million rate request (14.6%), approving only $76 million — a win for consumers that kept WV electricity rates from a steep jump, preserving some PHEV electric-mode cost advantage in the state.

• 
  Power rates could rise even higher if lawmakers continue to prop up coal

  Mountain State Spotlight · Mar 25, 2025

  Legislative mandates to keep coal plants open are adding costs to WV ratepayers' bills — a policy driver pushing Appalachian Power rates higher and narrowing the gap between gas and electric driving costs for WV PHEV owners.

• 
  Data centers in other states are raising power costs in West Virginia

  Mountain State Spotlight · Oct 5, 2025

  Virginia's data center boom is spiking PJM grid capacity prices, which flow through to West Virginia ratepayers' bills even though WV itself has little data center activity — an imported cost pressure raising WV electricity rates for PHEV drivers.

Curated coverage of West Virginia's EV/PHEV cost, policy, and infrastructure story. External links open in a new tab.

Southeast region comparison