House 4824

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4824

By Delegate Pritt

[Introduced January 26, 2026; referred to the Committee on Energy and Public Works then Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §24-2J-1, relating to requiring all public and private utility systems that are granted rate increases to set aside 5% of these funds for repairs and improvements to the physical utility infrastructure; establishing limitations on the use of these funds; prohibiting passing this cost on to the consumers.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 2J. infrastructure improvement fund.

§24-2J-1. Infrastructure Improvement Fund; rate increases; requirements; limitations.

(a) As a condition of all future utility rate increases, if an increase is granted to a private or public utility system by the West Virginia Public Service Commission, 5% of all individually billed new percentage increase charges on all existing or future customer accounts must be set aside by the utility into an "infrastructure improvement" fund;

(1) This fund cannot be used for routine maintenance;

(2) This fund must be used for physical utility infrastructure (i.e., water lines, electrical transmission lines, treatments facilities, power generation substations, power plants themselves, etc.).

(b) This cost cannot be passed on to the consumer through any category of fees or through future rate increases.

(c) This fund can only be utilized for new utility infrastructure improvement projects.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create an infrastructure fund that will be made from 5% from every rate increase granted to public and private utilities that is to be used for infrastructure repairs and improvements.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.