Kanawha County, (WOAY) – The West Virginia Public Service Commission has denied a motion to dismiss the sale of a Lincoln County public service district in a case that is extremely similar to the proposed controversial sale of public service districts in Fayette County.
The PSC also granted an interim declaratory order, approving the structure of the deal but not the sale itself.
In the order, the Public Service Commission did not rule on the legality of the sale, and says it will consider all of the legal questions and then determine if it is in the public interest before approving or disapproving the acquisition and dissolution of the PSD.
The order merely approves the transaction structure in Lincoln County and allows the case to continue.
The Lincoln County Commission is trying to sell the Lincoln Public Service District to West Virginia American Water, and the Lincoln Public Service Board has consistently voted not to sell.
It is similar to the case in Fayette County, where the Kanawha Falls Public Service District is opposing the Fayette County Commission’s efforts to sell the district to West Virginia American Water.
The Fayette County Commission and West Virginia American Water have also asked for an interim declaratory order approving the sale. The Public Service Commission has not yet ruled in the Fayette County case.
Attorneys for the Fayette County Commission and West Virginia American Water have said that the Kanawha Falls case is almost identical to the case in Lincoln County.
We will continue to update you as we learn more.
