Dominion Virginia Power Customers to See Rate Hike

Dominion Virginia Power customers will pay more for electricity beginning in January when credits they have received for much of the year expire.

The surcharges to build power plants were waived starting in April. The Virginian-Pilot reported that they go back into effect in 2011, adding $4.50 to the bills of customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of power per month.

That comes out to a 4.6 percent rate increase, raising those bills from $98.36 per month to $102.86, not included taxes and regulatory fees.

The so-called riders cover the construction of a coal-and-biomass station in Wise County and a natural gas-fired generator in Buckingham County.

The company has received state permission to increase the riders by another $1.39 per month in April.