The Virginia House of Delegates voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to end years of failed electric utility deregulation and put in place a controversial new system of oversight over the state’s primary power company.
The 82-17 vote in the House — and previous approvals by committees in both chambers — set up the likely passage of a sweeping change that critics charge will mean rate increases and enormous profit for Dominion, which pushed for the legislation. Supporters argue that rate increases will be tightly controlled under the proposed change and consumers will see more protections than under existing law.
The state Senate is scheduled to vote today on its version of the bill. If successful, the legislation would end a period of deregulation set up by the assembly in 1999 to encourage competition for Dominion.
During that time, no major alternative supplieremerged. The State Corporation Commission issued a report in September calling retail competition for electric supply “virtually nonexistent.”
Opponents of the bills include the legislative committee of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Piedmont Environmental Council and the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council. Georgia Herbert, Piedmont’s general counsel, said the measure is too complicated for legislators to fully comprehend in the time frame in which the bill has moved forward.
“Our position is that Dominion is rushing this thing through the legislature,” she told The Examiner this week. “There is absolutely no need to rush. The rate caps in place will still be in place next year when they reconvene for the legislative session.”
Under the provisions of the bill, a rate cap implemented during deregulation would expire in 2008, two years earlier than scheduled. Most consumers would lose the ability to shop for alternative electricity suppliers. The bill would also provide incentives for new power plant construction.
Del. Clarke Hogan, R-South Boston, who introduced the bill, said a recent amendment staves off an impending increase in rates this summer due to the price of fuel.
“This bill has a lot of protections for consumers,” Hogan said Wednesday. “Without it, Virginians will be hit with huge increases in their electricity bills in July.”
Herbert said she believes legislators added that provision so customers wouldn’t see rate increases before state legislators come up for election this year.
Contributions from Dominion to members of the Virginia General Assembly
The figures are based on data from campaign finance reports filed with the State Board of Elections and compiled by the nonpartisan and nonprofit Virginia Public Access
Project. – AP
House Commerce & Labor Members
District Name Amount
» House 8 – Griffith, H. Morgan $44,500
» House 36 – Plum, Kenneth R. $32,500
» House 34 – Callahan Jr, Vincent F. $22,500
» House 1 – Kilgore, Terry G. $16,000
» House 70 – Jones, Dwight C. $13,000
» House 80 – Melvin, Kenneth R. $12,050
» House 81 – Suit, Terrie $10,150
» House 82 – Purkey, Harry R. $9,750
» House 85 – Tata, Robert $8,450
» House 40 – Hugo, Timothy $7,743
» House 79 – Joannou, Johnny S. $7,500
» House 27 – Nixon Jr., Samuel A. $7,250
» House 65 – Ware, Lee $7,050
» House 89 – Alexander, Kenneth C. $6,750
» House 59 – Abbitt Jr., Watkins M. $5,700
» House 22 – Byron, Kathy J. $5,500
» House 43 – Sickles, Mark $4,250
» House 98 – Morgan, Harvey B. $3,750
» House 71 – McClellan, Jennifer $3,000
» House 55 – Hargrove Sr., Frank D. $2,250
» House 9 – Dudley, Allen W. $1,500
» House 4 – Johnson Jr., Joseph P. $0
Senate Commerce & Labor Members
» Senate 35 – Saslaw, Richard L. $61,508
» Senate 12 – Stosch, Walter A. $41,250
» Senate 27 – Potts Jr., H. Russell $40,359
» Senate 8 – Stolle, Kenneth W. $36,627
» Senate 3 – Norment Jr, Thomas K. $28,601
» Senate 21 – Edwards, John S. $21,500
» Senate 10 – Watkins, John C. $20,000
» Senate 29 – Colgan, Charles J. $13,207
» Senate 1 – Williams, Martin E. $12,500
» Senate 28 – Chichester, John H. $12,397
» Senate 7 – Wagner, Frank W. $12,350
» Senate 6 – Rerras, D.. Nick $10,750
» Senate 5 – Miller, Yvonne B. $8,943
» Senate 40 – Wampler Jr, William C. $5,750
» Senate 23 – Newman, Stephen D. $4,500
Totals $561,385
