Richmond-area utility bills just got more expensive
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Richmonders' budgets are about to take more hits as new utility rate increases go into effect this month.
Why it matters: If you live in metro Richmond and use electricity and/or water, you're affected.
State of play: Dominion Energy notified customers this week that the fuel charge on their bill rose, effective July 1.
- The increase was tied to Dominion's rising fuel costs, the company said in its notice.
- A looming fuel increase was first announced in May.
- Customers should expect to pay about $8 more a month on average for "a typical home using 1,000 kilowatt-hours," per Dominion.
Between the lines: Dominion considers a typical home to be a two-bedroom apartment or a modest one-story house, spokesperson Craig Carper previously told Axios.
- Home sizes can vary greatly, but most online rental sites estimate the average Richmond two-bedroom apartment at just below 1,000 square feet.
- The median Richmond home size is more than twice that, or just over 2,000 square feet, per the Federal Reserve of St. Louis.
The fine print: If you're looking for ways to save on your electric bill, Dominion has compiled tips.
- Among them: Signing up for energy use alerts and setting your thermostat to 78° or higher in summer.
Meanwhile, the water, sewer and utility increases that local governments approved in the spring as part of their annual budget process also took effect on July 1.
- Chesterfield's water and sewer fees increased by 4.2%, or about $2.94 more a month for its residents.
- Henrico's water and sewer rose by 5%, which the county estimates will cost residents an average of $7.70 every two months.
- Hanover approved a 6.5% water and sewer rate increase, which it says should cost its customers $4.68 bimonthly
- And Richmond's utility rates went up by 6.6%, or about $13.84 for city dwellers.
The bottom line: It just got more expensive to live in Richmond.