Jack Conway Suggests His New Found Opposition To Rate Hikes Is Not Political. My Question Is: How Could He Stop From Winking Or Laughing At Himself?

(Is Jack Conway kissing the wrong end?)

Conway says opposition to rate hikes not political
By ROGER ALFORD
Associated Press Writer

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Attorney General Jack Conway filed a motion Wednesday to dismiss a rate increase request by Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities, weighing in on an issue that played prominently in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

Conway, who won the Democratic nomination, said his decision to fight the proposed rate increases has nothing to do with the Senate race. Instead, he said his objection is that the utilities are asking for a rate increase at the same time that they're being offered for sale, which could be seen as an incentive to the proposed buyer, Pennsylvania Power and Light.

"I will continue to execute this particular office without fear or favor, and simply trying to do what's right," Conway told reporters.

Conway filed the motion with the Kentucky Public Service Commission, the state regulatory agency that considers all requests for utility rate increases.

Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, who ran against Conway in the Senate primary, accused the attorney general during the campaign of improperly accepting campaign contributions from the utility companies when, as attorney general, he is charged with helping to police unwarranted rate increases.

Conway, who faces Republican Rand Paul in this fall's general election, said Wednesday that Mongiardo's claim was off base.

"We've intervened in every major rate case that's been filed since I've been attorney general," Conway said. "Naturally, we'd be intervening in this case."

E.On U.S., the parent company of Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities, filed notice last month with the Public Service Commission that it intended to sell the utilities to Pennsylvania Power and Light. The utilities, which are Kentucky's largest providers of natural gas and electricity, requested the increase partly to recoup costs from severe storms.

E.On U.S. spokesman Brian Phillips said company officials are reviewing Conway's motion and plan to respond by Friday to the Public Service Commission.

"Regardless of who our parent is, we must continue to invest to serve our customers, and that's what this rate case allows us to do," Phillips said.