by Freeda Cathcart
Families are worried about Dominion raising their rates
December 5, 2018
Richmond, VA – Several mothers with children gathered in the plaza across the street from Dominion in the cold. They had letters to deliver explaining their fears about the huge rate increases due to the construction of Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
Freeda Cathcart, a customer with Roanoke Gas, explained how the Mountain Valley Pipeline was costing 50% more than the original price. Roanoke Gas recently announced they would be increasing rates by over 10% after January 1. Cathcart said, “A lot of poor families are going to be struggling this winter to stay warm. It’s outrageous they have to suffer for an unneeded capitol project. Hopefully Dominion customers won’t suffer the same fate.”
Jessica Bull, a Richmond resident and Dominion customer, with Mothers Out Front spoke about how high energy costs would hurt her children’s schools. She said, “More money spent on keeping the schools warm or cool will take important funding away from our children’s education. We can’t afford to pay more for energy because Dominion made a mistake by investing in natural gas infrastructure that Virginia doesn’t need.”
People can sign a petition to protect Dominion customers at this link: https://tinyurl.com/POCDominion
Board of Directors
Dominion Energy
Richmond
Customers of Dominion Energy
RE: Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Dear Chair William Barr, Ms. Helen Dragas, Adm. James Ellis, Mr. Thomas Farrell II,
Mr. John Harris, Mr. Ronald Jibson, Mr. Mark Kington, Mr. Joseph Rigby, Dr. Pamela Royal,
Mr. Robert Spilman Jr., Ms. Susan Story and Mr. Michael Szymanczyk
The proposal to build the ACP was made four years ago and the energy industry has changed significantly in recent years. Already the cost of the project has risen to $6.5 billion and the costs might continue to rise, especially since not all the necessary permits have been approved. The cost of the pipeline includes a guaranteed 15% rate of return that will be passed along to ratepayers.
Dominion Energy Virginia testified in front of the SCC that they have never studied the need for a new pipeline in Virginia. In 2014 when the ACP was proposed DEV had plans to build two large gas powered electric plants. Since then DEV has canceled their plans to build the plants and have announced they have no plans to build them in the future. Also four of the proposed six large gas powered electric plants planned in NC have also been canceled that would have been served by the ACP.
Dominion Energy has a responsibility to us, the customers, to not proceed with incurring more construction costs for the ACP until you can establish an economic need for the project, all the necessary permits are approved and all the legal challenges have been resolved. We do not want our energy rates to increase for an unneeded capitol project or due to incompetent implementation.
Thank you for your immediate attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Dominion Customers
Board of Directors
Dominion Energy
Richmond, VA
Freeda Cathcart – SCANA shareholder
Roanoke, VA
December 5, 2018
Dear Chair William Barr, Ms. Helen Dragas, Adm. James Ellis, Mr. Thomas Farrell II,
Mr. John Harris, Mr. Ronald Jibson, Mr. Mark Kington, Mr. Joseph Rigby, Dr. Pamela Royal,
Mr. Robert Spilman Jr., Ms. Susan Story and Mr. Michael Szymanczyk
I respectfully request for you to commission a current analysis to determine if there is an economic necessity for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. A current economic analysis would reveal how the impact of the rapid drop in cost of renewable energy would affect the demand for natural gas and if the ACP is needed as an additional transmission line.
The plans to build the ACP were made four years ago and the energy industry has changed significantly in recent years. SCANA shareholders and customers are still reeling over the abandoned V.C. Summer plant that left SCANA with $9 billion of stranded assets. Dominion shareholders and customers have valid concerns that the $6.5 billion ACP costs might continue to rise, especially since not all the necessary permits have been approved.
If the pipeline isn’t completed then the shareholders will have the value of their shares decrease due to stranded assets. Another concern for shareholders is last week’s report “Social Cost and Material Loss: The Dakota Access Pipeline,” concludes the final cost of DAPL was nearly double the initial project cost. “The banks that financed DAPL incurred an additional $4.4 billion in costs in the form of account closures, not including costs related to representational damage.”
Dominion Energy Virginia testified in front of the SCC that they have never studied the need for a new pipeline in Virginia. In 2014 when the ACP was proposed DEV had plans to build 2 large gas powered electric plants. Since then DEV has canceled their plans to build the plants and have announced they have no plans to build them in the future. Also four of the proposed six large gas powered electric plants planned in NC have also been canceled that would have been served by the ACP.
Dominion Energy has a responsibility to their shareholders to not proceed with incurring more construction costs for the ACP until they can establish an economic need for the project, all the necessary permits are in place and all the legal challenges have been resolved.
Respectfully submitted,
Freeda Cathcart
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