FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: James Adams 202-‐536-‐7880 June 12, 2012 james.adams@thisisourdc.org
1313 H Street NW
TWO DAYS OF PROTEST MARK END OF D.C. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 42.5 MILLION PEPCO RATE HEARING;
D.C. RESIDENTS URGE $2 MILLION PEPCO FINE AND NO RATE HIKE
$1.2 billion profit plus $499 million tax refunds plus $9.8 in executive awards equals 0 for Pepco
WASHINGTON D.C.— Nearly one hundred Pepco customers urged the D.C. Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) to reject Pepco’s $42.5 million rate hike request during the final day of evidentiary hearings. D.C. Pepco customers challenged Pepco’s attempt to pry more dollars out of the pockets of middle class, unemployed and under employed residents with its latest rate hike appeal. Protesters carried signs reading “Zero for Pepco and $1.2 billion profit isn’t enough?” Pepco lawyers were greeted by pointed objections from of struggling senior citizens as they made remarks.
“I’m a disabled senior citizen,” say’s rate payer John Butler, “it seems like Pepco is asking for more money every year and my every dollar counts. I hope the commission remembers they’re the Public Service Commission not Pepco’s Service Commission. Pepco’s top people get huge raises almost every time my rate goes up.”
“Pepco earns millions of dollars and pays it shareholders big checks while asking me, an unemployed mother who’s looking for work to pay more to keep my lights on. I feel like Pepco’s on welfare and I’m paying to put food on a millionaires table. Its greed, says Pepco customer Ashley Howard.
Outside the hearing a 30 foot inflatable pig went up symbolizing Pepco’s lack of concern for cash strapped working families. “ P.I.G.”, Pepco is greedy was chanted by rate payers who gathered outside of the hearing. On day one of the evidentiary hearing over 80 protesters conducted a New Orleans style funeral procession and service urging the P.S.C. to bury the rate hike.
Pepco shareholders should bear the cost of job creating infrastructure improvements, and not be allowed to recover money from D.C. customers. Rate payer money clearly went into the pockets of investors instead of into infrastructure repair and local job creation. Pepco is now rated the “Second worst Utility in the Nation,” according to the American Satisfaction Index.
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