On September 2, 2025, Community Electric Cooperative (“CEC” or “Cooperative”) expects to file with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) an application requesting approval of a proposed increase in rates and charges for bills rendered on and after October 2, 2025 (“Application”). The Cooperative is filing the Application pursuant to §§56-231.33, 56-231.34, 56-235, 56-236, and 56-585.3 of the Code of Virginia and under 20 VAC 5-200-21 C of the Commission’s Rules Governing Streamlined Rate Proceedings and General Rate Proceedings for Electric Cooperatives Subject to the State Corporation Commission’s Rate Jurisdiction ("Streamlined Rate Case Rules").
CEC’s requested revenue increase will permit the Cooperative to continue to invest in its system, cover rising power and other operating costs, meet financial obligations, as well as provide the highest possible levels of reliable customer service. Specifically, the proposed rates are designed to increase the Cooperative’s revenues by approximately $1,015,013 per year, an overall increase of the total revenues for the Cooperative of 3.75%. Impacts on individual member bills may vary based on usage.
The Cooperative proposes the following changes to the revenue produced by each of its rate schedules:
| Revenue Increase | Revenue Increase | |
| Rate | Amount | Percentage |
| Residential Service-Schedule A | $ 821,119 | 3.59% |
| General Service-Schedule B | $ 121,732 | 5.43% |
| Church Service-Schedule CH | $ 6,581 | 2.92% |
| Intermediate General Service-IGS | $ 4,524 | 1.23% |
| Large Power Service-Schedule LP | $ 5,016 | 0.87% |
| Outdoor Lighting Service-Schedule OL | $ 56,041 | 12.85% |
| Total System | $ 1,015,013 | 3.80% |
| Other Revenue | $ - | 0.00% |
| Grand Total | $ 1,015,013 | 3.75% |
Under the proposed new rates, an average residential member using 1,000 kWh per month will see an increase of approximately $5.37 per month, which would be a 3.70% increase to the member’s monthly bill based on the adjusted Power Cost Adjustment rate.
CEC does not propose that any wholesale power cost riders be rolled-in to base rates; and it does not propose any adjustment to the Electricity Supply Service rates. Further, the Cooperative is not proposing revisions to its rate structure as part of the Application.
The Cooperative intends to file the Application with the Commission on September 2, 2025. Any person subject to the change or changes proposed by CEC has the right to request a hearing within 30 days of the Application’s delivery to the Commission, or by October 2, 2025. Requests for hearing should be directed to the Clerk of the Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218. If the Commission receives objections from fewer than (i) 150 of the Cooperative’s members; (ii) one-quarter of the members within a rate class that is the subject of a revision or increase; or (iii) all of the members within a rate class that is the subject of a revision or increase if the rate class contains 20 or fewer members, CEC may petition the Commission to make rates permanent without hearing no less than 30 days after the Application is filed with the Commission. Specifically, CEC intends to request in its Application that, if the Commission does not suspend the proposed rates as provided in the Streamlined Rate Case Rules, CEC be permitted to implement the proposed rates on a permanent basis without a hearing effective for bills rendered on and after October 2, 2025. The Commission may convene a hearing to consider the Cooperative’s Applications, and if a hearing is held, the Commission may order rate relief, redesign rates or adopt tariff revisions which differ from those appearing in CEC’s application.
Interested persons are encouraged to review the Application and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals and may download unofficial copies from the Commission’s website: www.scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.
Copies of the Cooperative’s Application also may be inspected during regular business hours at the Cooperative’s business office in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Copies of these documents also may be obtained, at no charge, by submitting a written request to counsel for the Cooperative: Timothy E. Biller, Esquire, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Riverfront Plaza East Tower, 951 East Byrd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-4074, tbiller@hunton.com.