HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Electric utilities and energy efficiency programs will be discussed at a public forum next week in Huntington.

The forum will take place March 14 at the Cabell County Library. It is sponsored by the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Energy Efficient West Virginia and The Coalition for Reliable Power.

Among the topics to be discussed are company rate increases, state regulation, and energy efficiency programs and incentives. The groups say residential and business customers and governments can greatly benefit from upgrading old furnaces and heat pumps, hot water heaters, refrigerators and insulation.

A similar meeting is being planned in Beckley on March 22.