Southwest Virginia Customers Of Appalachian Power Will Not See Rate Increase

500 thousand customers of Appalachian Power across Virginia, including those in Southwest Virginia will not see a proposed rate increase by the power supplier. Appalachian had proposed an increase that would have added an average rate increase of ten dollars a month. However, the State Corporation Commission has rejected that request. The SCC ruled that Appalachian Power earned a profit within its authorized range during a three year period from 2017-2019. The utility maintained its earnings were lower, and that it needed to raise rates to maintain service and stay competitive in the energy market. The Virginia Attorney General’s Office called Appalachian Power Company’s accounting practices unconscionable and urged the SCC to deny the rate increase. The company had hoped to include, in the rate increase the costs of the early retirement of several coal fired power plants to offset its earnings in 2019.