Rocky Mount Town Manager James Ervin leads negotiations with Appalachian Power on behalf of several local governments. Photo by Natalee Waters
More than 40 years ago, local governments in Appalachian Power’s service area banded together to negotiate rates. Now, Rocky Mount Town Manager James Ervin, chair of the steering committee that leads negotiations, says that’s worked out well. “We pay a rate that is considerably less than a comparable private sector business,” he says.
But there can be complications.
Last year, the General Assembly passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which allows Appalachian Power customers to pursue third-party power purchase agreements and limits third-party power generation to 40 megawatts.
