Customers of Hope Gas could soon be paying much more to heat their homes by February, but not as much as proposed in the company's original request to the state PSC. Robert Fields | WVOW News CHARLESTON A partial settlement agreement has been reached in a gas company’s request for a nearly $80 million rate hike. The company Hope Gas had asked the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to approve a base rate increase of about $79.6 million. During evidentiary hearings th