SCC News

RICHMOND – The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is offering time for members of the public to give oral comments by telephone on an application by Appalachian Power Company for a triennial review of the company’s rates, terms and conditions for the provision of generation, distribution and transmission services.

The overall impact of the Appalachian Power proposals would increase the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per month by approximately $25.03, or 15.9 percent. For low-income customers qualifying for the proposed basic service charge waiver, the company’s proposals would increase the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kWh of electricity per month by approximately $16.53 or 10.5 percent.

The SCC has scheduled a public witness session to begin at 10 a.m. on August 23, 2023. Public witnesses intending to provide oral testimony must pre-register with the SCC by 5 p.m. on August 17, 2023. The hearing will be webcast at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting.

Public witnesses wishing to provide oral testimony may pre-register in one of three ways:

• Completing a public witness form for case number PUR-2023-00002 on the SCC’s website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting, 
• E-mailing the same form (PDF version on the same website as above) to SCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov, or
• Calling the SCC at 804-371-9141 during normal business hours (8:15 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and providing your name and the phone number you wish the Commission to call to reach you during the hearing.
• To promote fairness for all public witnesses, each witness will be allotted five minutes to provide testimony.

A public evidentiary hearing will follow the public witness hearing at 9:30 a.m. on August 24, 2023, in the SCC’s second floor courtroom at 1300 East Main Street in Richmond to receive testimony and evidence from the company, any respondents and the SCC staff.

For those who prefer, there is also an opportunity to provide comments in writing on the Appalachian Power application. Written comments may be submitted through the SCC’s website by August 17, 2023, at scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Simply go to the SCC website, select "Cases" and then "Submit Public Comments," and scroll down to case number PUR-2023-00002. Then click SUBMIT COMMENTS.

Comments can also be submitted by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All comments must refer to case number PUR-2023-00002.

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Contact: Andy Farmer, 804-371-9141

Case Number PUR-2023-00002 – Application of Appalachian Power Company for a 2023 triennial review of base rates

View Scheduling Order

RICHMOND – The State Corporation Commission (SCC) approved the 2022 Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) development plan for Dominion Energy Virginia for new solar, onshore wind, and energy storage resources. The company is required to submit an annual plan to the SCC to comply with the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA).

For the limited purpose of filing its third annual RPS plan, the SCC found that Dominion’s plan is reasonable and prudent.

The SCC approved:

• Seven utility-scale solar generating facilities, totaling approximately 474 megawatts (MW) of capacity;
• A stand-alone energy storage resource, totaling approximately 15.7 MW;
• The costs for the above projects and related interconnection facilities;
• The costs of two distributed solar projects (including interconnection facilities), representing four distributed solar facilities totaling approximately 6 MW; and
• 13 Purchase Power Agreements for solar and energy storage resources, totaling approximately 270 MW of solar and 49 MW of storage.

The SCC also approved a revenue requirement of $89.154 million for the recovery of certain VCEA-related resources for the rate year of May 2023 through April 2024.

In its final order, the Commission stated, “… as discussed in prior RPS orders – [the SCC] is guided in these matters by the statutes and the record. The Commission has continued to exercise its delegated discretion in a manner that faithfully implements the VCEA’s carbon-reduction requirements, while best protecting consumers who expect and deserve reliable and affordable service.”

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Contact: Andy Farmer, 804-371-9141

Case Number PUR-2022-00124 – Application of Dominion Energy Virginia for approval of its 2022 RPS Plan

View Final Order

RICHMOND – April is National Safe Digging Month, and the State Corporation Commission’s Division of Utility and Railroad Safety (URS) reminds all Virginians to Know What’s Below and Dig with C.A.R.E. to help keep Virginia’s underground utility infrastructure damage free and our communities, business districts and environment safe.

The steps to safe digging in Virginia are:

• Contact Virginia 811 before you dig.
• Allow the required time for marking the utilities.
• Respect and protect the marks.
• Excavate carefully.

Whether you’re a professional contractor, do-it-yourselfer or homeowner, you have an important role in preventing damage to underground utilities. No matter how big or small your project is, contacting the Virginia 811 Notification Center to request the marking of your underground utility lines before you dig will help avoid physical injury, property damage, costly repairs and service interruptions.

Contact Virginia 811 by going online at www.va811.com. You may also call 811 or 1-800-552-7001 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding legal state and national holidays. Emergency notification service is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

For more information about safe digging and demolition, contact URS at 804- 371-9980 or visit the SCC Damage Prevention page at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Damage-Prevention.

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Contact: Jordan Bondurant, 804-371-9141

RICHMOND – The State Corporation Commission (SCC) approved a revised fuel rate for customers of Appalachian Power Company (APCo) that includes a mitigation proposal that would spread the recovery of its $361,411,867 deferred fuel balance over two years. The fuel rate increase has been in effect on an interim basis, subject to further modification, since November 1, 2022, and no additional changes were approved. For a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month, it represents an increase to the average monthly bill of $20.17. Without the mitigation proposal, however, the increase would have been $33.24 per month for the same usage.

The fuel rate is the portion of the electric bill that pays for the fuel used to generate electricity and costs associated with power purchased by the utility company to serve its customers.

In its final order, the Commission stated: “… we are deeply concerned about the significant rate increase requested in this case, and its impact on customer bills. The impact of the increase is worsened by its introduction during the winter months, which are typically higher usage months, and by other recent APCo rate increases. We are mindful of the numerous public comments and concerns expressed about the impact of such rate increases on APCo’s customers and have reviewed this matter carefully. APCo is, however, entitled by law to recover its prudently incurred fuel costs…”

The Commission directed the SCC staff to conduct a fuel audit for the period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022, and to include the results of the fuel audit in its pre-filed testimony in APCo’s next fuel factor proceeding. As part of the fuel audit, the Commission directed Staff to analyze the reasonableness of APCo’s coal procurement activities.

The Commission also directed APCo to take additional steps within 60 days of its order to advise customers how they may contact APCo for bill assistance and to set up budget billing for their accounts.

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Contact: Ford Carson, 804-371-9141

Case Number PUR-2022-00139
View Final Order