WV Utility Impact Project

The West Virginia Utility Impact Project (WVUIP) is a nonpartisan, community-driven initiative focused on documenting how rising utility costs are affecting West Virginians and using that information to advocate for fair, transparent, and accountable public policy. We collect stories, analyze data, educate the public, and engage with decision-makers to ensure the voices of everyday West Virginians are heard.

No. WVUIP works with anyone willing to engage in good faith to address utility affordability and accountability. People of every political background have participated in the project.

Too many West Virginians have been forced to choose between paying utility bills, buying groceries, purchasing medication, or keeping a roof over their heads. We created WVUIP because those experiences deserved to be documented and brought directly before policymakers and regulators.

• Collect statewide survey data.
• Publish reports and visualizations.
• Meet with legislators, regulators, and community leaders.
• Provide educational resources about utility regulation.
• Help residents participate in public hearings.
• Connect people with available assistance resources.
• Amplify the lived experiences of West Virginians.

To date, more than 11,000 West Virginians from all 55 counties have contributed to the project, making it one of the largest grassroots collections of utility affordability experiences in state history.

WVUIP is a grassroots initiative supported by donations, volunteers, and community partners. We are committed to transparency regarding our funding and operations. We do not ask for funding; people volunteer funding.

No single organization can represent everyone. Our goal is to document as many experiences as possible while presenting the data honestly and transparently.

Yes. Individual identifying information is not published unless shared with permission. Survey responses are analyzed in aggregate unless someone specifically gives permission for their story to be shared publicly. We do post testimonies, but anonymously.

Statistics are great, but they can minimize the reality. Stories tell us what those numbers actually mean. Both are essential for helping elected officials and regulators understand the human consequences of utility policy.

Our goal is accountability, not hostility. Utilities provide essential services. We believe they should also provide those services at rates that are just, reasonable, transparent, and in the public interest.