In what appears to be another attempt by Dominion to win
over the hearts and minds of more of its ratepayers, Virginia’s largest utility
asked the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC)[1]
on Wednesday to reduce what Dominion charges customers to recover its fuel
costs[2]
beginning July 1.
If given the okay by the SCC, the usual residential
ratepayer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours could see a monthly drop in their utility
bill to the tune of $5.83, on average.
But before anyone thinks about sending a big thank you
letter to Dominion for its charity, let’s keep a few things in mind.
In Virginia, we have an enlightened policy which allows
Dominion VA Power to charge its nearly 2.3 million ratepayers for Dominion’s
cost of fuel used to generate power and the electricity that it buys.
How did these circumstances come about, you say? One no
doubt needs to look no further than Dominion’s own lobbying power[3]
in the Virginia General Assembly and the Executive Mansion to push through
legislation that throws a huge bone in Dominion’s direction.
Dominion should be lauded for helping its ratepayers save
money, but no one should forget how Virginians came to foot the bill for Dominion’s
cost of fuel to begin with.
You wouldn’t steal a blanket, give it back, and expect
praise would you?
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