PIKEVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Public Service Commission is holding a series of public meetings to discuss the request for a rate increase by Kentucky Power.

Pike County Judge Executive Wayne T. Rutherford requested the PSC meet with the Pike County Fiscal Court to discussed the increase

David Armstrong, Chairman of the PSC, said his department plans to hold three meetings in the next few weeks, at a a time and place that will be announced.

The Fiscal Court feels the increase would put an undue burden on the people of Pike County especially in light of what Rutherford says was “neglect” that resulted in power outages after a severe winter storm in December 2009

During the period following the storm, Pike County purchased and distributed kerosene to citizens to use for heat. According to Pike Emergency Services Director Doug Tackett, 9,000 gallons of the fuel were bought, at a cost of $28,000.

Pike County has many residents on fixed incomes and any increase would create a hardship, Rutherford told the PSC in a letter requesting the meeting.

“In 2010 no Kentucky senior citizen or handicapped citizen should be forced to make the decision as to whether pay their power bill or purchase their food or medicine,” the letter went on to state. “All of this needs to be part of the record in regard to the proposed rate increase.”

“What happened is pure neglect by American Electric Power/Kentucky Power,” Rutherford said in a previous letter to Armstrong.

Rutherford went on to say the voices of the citizens of the county should be heard at the hearing.

The ratepayers of this county need to be ready to attend this meeting in Pikeville to voice their opposition to this proposed increase. We need to be organized and ready.