RICHMOND — The State Corporation Commission (SCC) has approved voluntary renewable energy options for customers of Dominion Virginia Power and Appalachian Power. In both programs, customers will have the opportunity to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs), for some or all of the electricity that they consume, from renewable sources such as wind, solar, falling water, biomass, energy from waste, wave motion, tides, and geothermal power.

The companies will purchase RECs procured from “green” power sources equivalent to the amount of renewable energy purchased through customer contributions. A customer would see a separate line item on his or her monthly bill that would show the additional costs for participating in the renewable energy program.

The SCC, however, found that the Dominion and Appalachian renewable energy options fail to meet Virginia’s statutory definition for electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energy. If the company programs had qualified as tariffs for electric energy provided 100 percent renewable sources, then Dominion and Appalachian customers would no longer be permitted to purchase 100 percent renewable electricity supply service from competitive suppliers licensed by the SCC.

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Case Number PUE-2008-00044 Dominion Virginia Power Renewable Energy Tariff

Case Number PUE-2008-00057 Appalachian Power Renewable Power Rider

Note: Commissioner James C. Dimitri did not participate in these cases.