Latest news with #APCoRateReductionAct
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOGE cuts pose potential liability for GOP in Virginia elections and more headlines
The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) • 'DOGE cuts pose potential liability for GOP in Virginia elections.' — The Hill • 'Lawmakers reject gift of last presidential Founding Father home in private hands.' — The Washington Post • 'APCo Rate Reduction Act passes in Virginia General Assembly.' — WJHL • 'Virginia Beach police officers killed in line of duty, suspect found dead.' — WAVY • 'Roanoke City Council to take a closer look at tax exemption policy.' — Cardinal News SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
APCo Rate Reduction Act passes in Virginia General Assembly
RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) — The APCo Rate Reduction Act passed in the Virginia General Assembly Saturday evening and now heads to Gov. Youngkin's desk. HB 2621 passed on a vote of 98-0 in the House of Delegates and 39-0 in the Senate. It aims to lower Southwest Virginia customers' bills, according to primary sponsor Delegate Jason Ballard (R-Giles). 'This legislation will provide the most significant electric bill relief to APCo customers in years,' Ballard said in a release. 'For too long, my constituents – and those throughout APCo territory – have suffered through unreasonably high electric bills that put people in the unwinnable position between paying their electric bill or putting food on the table.' Weber City Police Chief commends 'quick actions' of officers who were assaulted during traffic stop Ballard along with Delegates Terry Kilgore (R-Scott) and Israel O'Quinn (R-Washington) advocated for the legislation while it moved through sub-committees and eased through the Commonwealth's General Assembly. 'I give my sincere thanks to the entire Southwest Delegation of General Assembly members who helped get this bill across the finish line,' said Ballard. 'HB 2621 is the only bill that provides meaningful financial relief for our constituents who are APCo customers.' The legislation addressed several items that Ballard said would lower Appalachian Power Company customers' bills and help them keep payments in good standing—including a securitization, a six-month moratorium on interest and late fees and a nine-month moratorium on disconnect and reconnect fees. Additionally, the bill outlines there will be no rate increases during winter months (Nov.-Feb.). APCo must also propose seasonal rates meant to minimize the impact of cold months and high electricity usage. Under the legislation, APCo will be directed to propose alternatives to current billing practices that are designed to lessen the burden of high monthly bills during peak seasons. 'This was a heavy lift during a short legislative session,' Ballard added. 'However, doing nothing was not an option. I appreciate every constituent who shared their story with my office – this is how to get things done in Richmond.' 'While this is a significant first step, there is more work to be done and we will continue working with all stakeholders to provide relief to customers and hold APCO accountable to the Commonwealth and their ratepayers,' Sen. Todd Pillion said in a post on social media. Virginia Department of Health offering free well test kits for flood victims Finally, HB 2621 directs the State Corporation Commission to consider public input during all rate cases. The bill will now go to Gov. Youngkin's desk to be reviewed, to which he released the following statement: To the General Assembly members who dedicated their time and energy this legislative session, making the tremendous sacrifice of being away from their families, careers, and personal lives to serve the Commonwealth—thank you. I especially want to thank Delegate Baxter Ennis and Delegate Danny Marshall for their service to Virginia. This General Assembly is sending me a multitude of bills, including a budget, and over the next 30 days I will go to work to review and take action on those bills and budget. We will have much to address at the reconvene session, but I remain grateful for the hard work of our General Assembly members and their staffs. Governor Glenn Youngkin News Channel 11 has reached out to the offices of Delegates Israel O'Quinn and Terry Kilgore for comment on the bill's passing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
APCo Rate Reduction Act aims to lower power bills in Southwest Virginia
SOUTHWEST, VA (WJHL) — January has been one of the coldest on record for Southwest Virginia and as the thermometer falls, electric bills rise higher. Virginia Delegate Terry Kilgore (R-Scott) said prices are too high. 'You know, a lot of the calls from consumers are over higher electric rates, especially during this last month when it was so cold,' Kilgore told News Channel 11. Kilgore and Delegates Israel O'Quinn and Jason Ballard co-sponsored a bill that he said would lower Appalachian Power's rates. The APCo Rate Reduction Act passed 9-0 in the energy subcommittee. Still, Kilgore and other Southwest Virginia delegates need support from their fellow lawmakers to the north whose constituents aren't Appalachian Power customers. 'That it has been a challenge,' admits Kilgore. 'There's not many of us from Roanoke West. There are seven members in the House of Delegates, and in Fairfax County (alone), there are 18. So that there's your problem right there. And we've had to convince our folks shown on these electric bills that folks have and that folks have emailed us at $900 to a thousand dollars for a single-family house. That's outrageous.' House Bill 2621 calls for an overhaul of the rate-setting process of Appalachian Power that delegates say will lower bills for customers, including: Bans rate increases during winter months Bans rate increase until March 2026 Review rates yearly instead of every two years Requires State Corporation Commission to review 'seasonal rates' Simplify customer bills Fuel Cost reduction 'Securitize' or refinance existing coal plants Co-sponsor Delegate Israel O'Quinn (R-Washington County) stated that the potential cost savings for customers could be historic. 'It is the largest single decrease that anyone around the capital can remember happening all at once,' said O'Quinn via Zoom. 'So, again, this is certainly a work in progress. But what we've been able to piece together with this bill is a significant amount of savings for ratepayers and will help to ease some of that sticker shock that people get when they when they open their bills during the cold winter months.' O'Quinn said there is a companion bill in the Senate, and he expects some tweaks to the current bills as they move through committees, but said the legislation could be up for a vote in just weeks. Lawmakers aim to reduce the average customer's kilowatt-hour cost by 13 percent. News Channel 11 has reached out to Appalachian Power for a statement but did not receive one. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
