Virginia senators ask SCC to help public with high power bills
richmond, va. — Three Virginia senators are urging the State Corporation Commission to answer questions regarding the increasingly high bills their constituents have to pay each month for electricity.
Senator Travis Hackworth, R-District 5, Senator Todd E. Pillion, R-District 6 and Senator William M. Stanley, R-District 7 sent a letter this week to the State Corporation Commission about high monthly power bills. The senators issued a joint statement.
'Out of utter frustration over the lack of responsiveness by Appalachian Power Company to chronically high rates, we sent a joint letter to the State Corporation Commission today,' the senators said in a letter to the Virginia SCC. 'In this letter, we are asking for answers to questions about how to revoke APCO's monopoly franchise or block their ability to operate in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We've heard from thousands of our constituents about their ever-increasing power bills and the lack of options to find economic relief.'
Hackworth represents Tazewell County in the Virginia Senate.
The Bluefield Daily Telegraph reached out to Appalachian Power about the senators' concerns.
'We are very disappointed in the inaccurate statements being made while our employees are working in the field around the clock to restore power to our Virginia neighbors following Winter Storm Harlow,' said Karen E. Wissing, communications consultant for Appalachian Power. 'As a company that has proudly served the Commonwealth of Virginia for over a century, our workforce is comprised of men and women born and raised here who want the best for their families, friends, and neighbors.
'Working with the legislature, we have made significant progress toward finding real solutions that bring relief to our customers, and we will continue to do so,' Wissing said. 'We recognize some of our customers are struggling with bills now and need immediate support. We encourage those in need to reach out to us directly at 1-800-956-4237 or via Facebook as soon as possible.'
The senators asked the State Corporation Commission to answer their questions in an effort to address the electric bills their constituents pay.
'During our numerous attempts to find solutions that work for all parties, APCO has not only failed to provide solutions, but they have also insulted the lived experiences of their customers and attempted to convince us all that the problem lies with our overuse of electricity,' the senators added in their letter. 'No more. We look forward to receiving answers from the State Corporation Commission and acting on that information in the days ahead.'
The senators asked the Commission to answer the following questions to help inform future legislative efforts:
1. Is it possible to remove or revoke Appalachian Power Company's monopoly franchise license or ability to operate in the Commonwealth of Virginia?
2. Does the authority for such a revocation rest with the Commission or the Virginia General Assembly or both?
3. Is there any precedent in Virginia for the revocation of the monopoly franchise of any public service company?
4. If such a revocation is possible, what are the requirements and steps necessary to begin the process to remove the company's ability to operate in Virginia, including the timing and most importantly the cost. The cost to APCO customers and the cost or current value of the company if its interests in Virginia are able to be sold?
5. Under what circumstances can a revocation of a public utility's franchise typically happen?
A. During such a process, how would customers be served and can a moratorium on shut-offs be in place until such time that a new monopoly franchise be put in place?
B. Could an electric cooperative be set up on a temporary or permanent basis or would the service territory be available for purchase by another investor-owned utility?
C. Would customers of APCO's service territory be required to pay for any of the company's assets or incur any other 'stranded costs?'
6. Are there alternatives the Commission sees as opportunities to address the extreme customer service deficiencies we are experiencing?
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
12 hours ago
- The Hill
Israel says the remains of 3 hostages have been recovered from Gaza
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli military says it has recovered the remains of three hostages held in the Gaza Strip. It identified them as Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war. The militant group is still holding 50 hostages, less than half of them believed to be alive. Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan's 23rd birthday. 'The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack. More than half the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said that women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at
San Francisco Chronicle
12 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Israel says the remains of 3 hostages have been recovered from Gaza
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli military says it has recovered the remains of three hostages held in the Gaza Strip. It identified them as Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war. The militant group is still holding 50 hostages, less than half of them believed to be alive. Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan's 23rd birthday. 'The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack. More than half the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said that women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
a day ago
Ex-Texas US Rep. Blake Farenthold, who left office amid harassment allegations, dies at 63
Former Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, who left Congress amid sexual harassment allegations, has died. He was 63. He died in a Corpus Christi hospital and suffered heart and liver problems in recent years, Steve Ray, his former longtime political consultant, said. Farenthold's wife, Debbie Farenthold, confirmed that he died Friday. Blake Farenthold was elected in 2010, upsetting long-serving Democratic U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz. Seven years later, Farenthold announced that he wouldn't seek reelection. In a video he posted on his campaign's Facebook page at the time, he denied a former aide's three-year-old accusations, which included that he'd subjected her to sexually suggestive comments and behavior and then fired her after she complained. He apologized for an office atmosphere he said included 'destructive gossip, offhand comments, off-color jokes and behavior that in general was less than professional.' He said in the video that if he stayed in Congress, he would have spent months trying to vindicate himself. 'We all make mistakes,' Ray said Saturday. 'He made some mistakes.' Ray described him as a 'techie' who was interested in the internet and technology before getting involved in politics. 'He did a tremendous job as congressman for this area,' Ray said, noting that Farenthold cared about fighting crime and promoting transparency. 'His heart was really always in the right place.' Before becoming a congressman, Farenthold was a sidekick for a conservative radio talk show host, Ray said. 'When he decided to run, nobody in the world thought he was going to win,' Ray said. When he left office, Farenthold started his own radio show, which he continued until he died. In addition to his wife, Farenthold is survived by two adult daughters, Morgan Baucum and Amanda Lawrence, Ray said.
