CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Speakers and Councilors questioned the city’s commitment Monday night to climate goals during discussion of utility rate increase proposals. City Finance Chris Cullinan outlined the rate increase proposal of a little more than $10 a month for water and wastewater service, and $2.69 per unit for natural gas service. Sadhbh O’Flynn with the Community Climate Collaborative noted the gas increase cost is misleading since that 4.25% increase figure reflects only the increase from one month to the next. Cullinan said the actual increase from July of last year until April of this year was around 25%. However, gas rates are adjusted monthly because natural gas, being a commodity, has price changes monthly. Despite the increasing natural gas costs, Councilors noted 540 new customers have hooked up to gas over the past several months. O’Flynn pointed out a consultant’s report presented to the city that alternatives need to be incentivized to turn people away from gas and other forms of energy.
“In the absence of an energy transition plan that aligns the future of Charlottesville gas with the city’s climate commitments, all we’re getting are rate increases without investments that reduce fossil fuel dependence for Charlottesville gas customers… it’s the worst of both worlds,” O’Flynn said.
Councilor Michael Payne stated, “If we’ve abandoned the goal of trying to the natural gas utility to incentivizing electrification, we should communicate that to the public.”…