The Kingsport Times News recently reported that the State Corporation Commission of Virginia will be holding a meeting this November as requested by Old Dominion Power Company, who wishes to increase electric base rates to its Virginia customers.

Homeowners affected by these proposed rate increases can voice their concerns to the SCC in a number of ways.

-  A hearing in Norton will be held on November 18th at 4pm and reconvene at 7pm J.I. Burton High School auditorium to receive testimony from the public. Any person wishing to comment should arrive early and notify the SCC bailiff.

-  The SCC will also hold a public hearing in Richmond on Jan. 6 in the commission’s second floor courtroom in the Tyler Building at 1300 E. Main St.

-  Written comments must be submitted by Dec. 30. All correspondence should be sent to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond VA 23218-2118 and refer to case number PUE-2009-00029.

-  Comments can also be submitted electronically at the SCC Web site. Click on the Public Comments/Notices link and then the Submit Comments button for case number PUE-2009-00029.

"The State Corporation Commission of Virginia (SCC) has scheduled a public hearing in Norton on Nov. 18 on a request by Old Dominion Power Co. to increase electric base rates to Virginia customers.

A subsidiary of Kentucky Utilities, Old Dominion serves about 30,000 residential customers in Lee, Wise, Scott, Russell and Dickenson counties.

Kentucky Utilities spokesman Cliff Feltham said Wednesday Old Dominion seeks an additional $12.2 million annually from its Virginia customers, an overall 21 percent increase over current annual revenues. That rate hike percentage depends on household usage, but the SCC said the proposed rate increase would raise the monthly bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) from $70.05 to $91.64, an increase of more than 30.8 percent.

Feltham said ODP determines an average customer uses about 1,424 kwh per month, so an average bill would go up by another $24 or $25 a month."

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