Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power are asking the West Virginia Public Service Commission for a mil rate increase because, they say, the cost of fuel has gone up. As a result of a letter in March from the Kanawha County Commission requesting the cases be reopened for public comment, PSC is holding four public comment hearings on the utility companies’ petitions. The first meeting, on Tuesday, was at the Cabell County Courthouse. The PSC estimates that this would raise the average utility bill by about $20/month. Three more public hearings are scheduled before the evidentiary hearing in September. The public hearing in Charleston will be on July 24th at 5:30 p.m.