West Virginians are being squeezed by a coal-heavy grid and rising bills. (NYT)
Despite sitting on vast coal reserves, electricity costs in the state have climbed nearly twice as fast as the US average over the past 15 years. Coal still provides 86% of the state’s power, locking utilities and customers into expensive long-term contracts.
Nearly one in five households served by AEP subsidiaries are behind on payments, and disconnections soared to 56K last year—more than 10X the rate of a typical state.