Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association (PBCCA) Blog: OPC OPPOSES PEPCO’S $51.7 MILLION RATE INCREASE BID, CALLS FOR DECREASE IN PEPCO’S CURRENT RATES BY $10.4 MILLION

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

OPC OPPOSES PEPCO’S $51.7 MILLION RATE INCREASE BID, CALLS FOR DECREASE IN PEPCO’S CURRENT RATES BY $10.4 MILLION

PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS

Dear Consumers,

The D.C. Office of the People’s Counsel, your ratepayer advocate, is alerting you to Public Hearings

scheduled before the D.C. Public Service Commission in Formal Case No. 1076. OPC is seeking your

input on PEPCO’s request for a $51.7 million increase in its electric distribution rates. OPC is calling for a

$10.4 million decrease in PEPCO’s current rates.

OPC is challenging components of PEPCO’s request for a rate increase because the Company has not

provided adequate justification to support its proposed increase.

OPC believes this case raises critical issues utility consumers face now and will face in the future.

For example,

1) PEPCO seeks to shift certain business risks from Company shareholders to consumers with
no guarantee that service quality will be improved.
2) PEPCO has failed to adhere to its statutory mandate to provide District consumers safe,
adequate and reliable electric service.
3) PEPCO has not detailed how consumers/ratepayers will be prepared and educated for a
wave of future technologies, such as smart meters and the Smart Grid, or how the costs of
these new technologies will be allocated.

OPC believes it is important for consumers to understand that this rate increase request is part of a

continuing march toward higher electric bills. Residential rates over a five year period have increased by 98 %. For example, in 2004, a residential consumer paid $49.00 for 750kWh per month. Today, the same consumer will pay $97.00 per month even before PEPCO’s requested rates are increased. If PEPCO’s request is approved in its entirety, consumers will pay an additional $6.43 each month.

These are your dollars and your service. It is imperative that you attend at least one of the community hearings and raise your issues and voice your concerns on the public record.

To participate in the hearings, you should sign up in advance by contacting the Commission Secretary at 202‐626‐5150 by the close of business, at least 3 days before each hearing and ask to be placed on the public witness list.

Persons with special needs are encouraged to call the Public Service Commission in advance to assist with any arrangements to facilitate your participation.

If for any reason you are unable to attend the hearings you may submit your written testimony to be included on the public record to Ms. Dorothy Wideman, Director, Office of the Commission Secretary, DC Public Service Commission, 1333 H St. NW Washington DC, 20010. You may also send your testimony by email to dwideman@psc.dc.org.

The three community hearings will convene at the following locations on the dates specified below:

Chevy Chase Community Center

5601 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 12 Noon

DC Public Service Commission

1333 H Street NW

Hearing Room 7th Floor East Tower

Friday, November 20, 2009 10:00am

Hillcrest Recreation Center

3100 Denver Street, SE

Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 6:30 pm

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Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association: From the Beginning

The Penn-Branch Citizens / Civic Association was formed over 40 years ago by members in the community. The need for an association stemmed from specific neighborhood concerns such as water and sewer problems; the lack of sidewalks and curbs on some blocks; no posted traffic signs; and issues arising from the many District and Federal Parks that surround or are located within Penn-Branch.

The boundaries of the community served by the association extend from 38^th Street East to Branch Avenue West, and from Pennsylvania Avenue South to Pope Branch Park North. Within these boundaries are approximately 550 houses on tree lined streets covering rolling hills with easy access to the many wonderful features of the greater Washington metropolitan area. The Penn-Branch community is a touch of the suburbs in an urban setting providing the best of both worlds.

The Penn-Branch Citizens Association, as it was called until 1989, began through the formation of a number of committees, the responsibilities included working with the District and Federal Governments on varying problems. The most active committees over the years have been the Legislative and Public Works Committees, and the Neighborhood Security Patrol. Security Patrol members have contributed countless hours to assuring the security of the Penn-Branch residents. The work of the residents who have served on the PBC/CA’s many other committees have brought about many desirable improvements, and protected the community from unwanted change. The association maintains a pocket park at the corner of Carpenter and O streets, the gateway to Penn-Branch. A major project in recent year was the petitioning of the city to rebuild the crumbling O Street retaining wall. The association working with Dupont Park neighbors, defeated a proposal to erect a cellular monopole at the Penn-Branch shopping center that would have defeated our vistas. We host two major social events during the year, a Christmas Potluck and Carols on the second Tuesday in December (free – just bring a dish to serve at least four or more) and a Spring Dinner Dance, a proven fund-raiser and a reliable good time.

The Annual Membership drive runs from September to December. Through the year, the association welcomes the volunteer efforts of all Penn-Branch residents in carrying out its programs. While its leadership has changed hands many times over the years, the association continues as a stable, cohesive force owing to the time and services freely given by residents.

The PBC/CA is incorporated as a non-profit organization, and is a member of the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations. The By-laws of the association have changed from time-to-time; one significant change allows two votes per household if a two-member household exists.

In 1989, the membership voted unanimously to change the name from the Penn Branch Citizens Association to the Penn Branch Citizens/Civic Association to acknowledge a more diverse tradition of community organization.

The Penn-Branch Citizens / Civic Association, Inc. is “A Community Committed to Excellence” with the goal to create a safe and desirable community in which to live.

Officers- a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer- are elected to one-year terms. A nominating committee appointed by the president solicits a slate of candidates during April, which is presented to the membership and voted on at the May meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor. Newly elected officers are sworn in at the June meeting, and begin serving in September. The president appoints committee chairs. A grass-root network of block captains serves as conduit through which concerns and information are shared between the association and its members. The association also publishes a monthly newsletter.

Our success in accomplishing the association’s goals can only be achieved to the extent that all the neighbors in Penn-Branch participate to ensure that the community we chose to live in remains a community we want to live in.