RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Dominion Energy customers could be looking at some smaller bills in the near future as the company tries to provide immediate relief to customers as well as ongoing savings in the future.
According to Dominion, this year the General Assembly passed a law requiring the company to eliminate $350 million in charges known as “riders.” You may have noticed “riders” on your bill labeled as things like “fuel charge” or “grid transformation.”
But Craig Carper, the Senior Communications Specialist at Dominion, says those charges will be removed from all future bills and will not be re-instated on your bill if their proposal is approved.
The company says recent plans that were submitted to the State Corporation Commission could reduce the average energy bill to $14 — a $7 difference.
“Eliminating a few riders from the bill…each one saving customers 2 to 3 bucks,” Carper said. “So, when you total those all up, we’ve got $7 that they can count on that’s in the bank.”
Carper says they are cutting costs where they can because customers are coming out of a period of high fuel costs.
“We’re well aware of the economic pressures that everyone in our market is facing right now,” Carper said. “But whether it’s the gas pump, the grocery store, you know, everything that they’ve they purchase and rely on has gone up in price. So, we pledged earlier this year to bring rate relief during the General Assembly session, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Carper says in addition to a bill reduction, the relief should also make it easier for customers to navigate their bills.
“When you look at the top of your bill and things that are itemized, you’re going to see less items on there,” Carper said. “It’s going to be simpler and easier to understand. Hopefully.”
Carper says the decreases would take effect as early as July 1 if approved by the VSC.
If approved, the price reduction would apply to all Dominion Energy customers. About 7 million customers in 16 states power their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy.
