Norkfolk Southern rehires 42 after October layoffs

Saturday, July 13, 2013

NORFOLK SOUTHERN

Railroad rehires 42 after October layoffs

Norfolk Southern Corp. has recently rehired 42 employees in Roanoke, bringing them back to work after layoffs in October.

Thirty of the hires were in the railroad’s communications and signals system, and another 12 were in the Roanoke locomotive shop, according to NS spokesman Robin Chapman.

In October, the company announced about 200 job cuts in the Roanoke and Bluefield, W.Va., areas, which were attributed to falling coal shipments. About 60 of those jobs were in the Roanoke area.

Since then, 60 permanent and 70 temporary positions have become available throughout the railroad’s 22-state system. Chapman said he did not know how many of those slots were filled by laid-off employees from the Roanoke area.

Norfolk Southern Corp. has about 1,700 employees in the region.

— Laurence Hammack

POWER

AEP to pass on chance to raise rates again

Appalachian Power Co. informed state regulators Friday that it will pass on an opportunity to raise rates.

In a filing with the State Corporation Commission, Appalachian indicated that it will not seek an increase in its fuel factor rate.

The fuel factor is aimed at dollar-for-dollar recovery for the cost the utility incurs for fuel, primarily coal, and purchased power. It is often adjusted annually. There is no profit in the fuel factor.

Last June, the SCC approved Appalachian’s request to raise the fuel factor to its current level, 2.953 cents per kilowatt-hour. That meant a $7.56 increase in the monthly bill for an average residential customer.

Stability in coal prices was the main reason Appalachian did not seek to raise its fuel rate this year, utility spokesman Todd Burns said.

There are no other pending requests that would change rates for Southwest Virginians this year, Burns said.

Even though Appalachian is not seeking an increase, the matter must still be approved by the SCC.

— Laurence Hammack

Monday, August 12, 2013