Winter heating and utility aid available in far Southwest Virginia

As colder weather nears, more utility rate hikes may be on the way.

Even before Old Dominion Power proposed a 23% increase in electric rates in far Southwest Virginia, utility bills across the coalfields had already been rising.

Old Dominion, which serves 28,000 customers in the region, raised its rates last year by 11.12%. Powell Valley Electric Cooperative added $4 a month to residential bills in April. Appalachian Power Co. sought a $9 increase in May, but under a proposed compromise with state regulators, the company said rates would be frozen for a year, though costs could still rise later.

At the same time, grocery and gasoline prices are at record levels. With colder months approaching, several organizations are preparing fuel assistance for the coalfield counties of Lee, Scott, Wise, Dickenson, Buchanan, Russell and Tazewell, as well as the city of Norton.

Mountain Empire Older Citizens fund

Mountain Empire Older Citizens began taking applications for its emergency fuel fund.

The program runs through March 31 and helps older adults keep their homes warm during the winter. Care Coordinator Tiffany Jacobs said the group can help with electric bills or provide an equivalent amount for other heating sources, such as wood or propane.

The assistance covers about one month of fuel support and can be used once each winter. The organization typically pays up to $350 toward an electric bill, but if a resident’s bill is higher, it may cover the full amount, Jacobs said.

“We try to encourage them to wait [for when] they have a larger bill,” Jacobs said. “But they are getting a lot more expensive … we have people call in at the beginning and then again at the end of the cycle, when they still have high bills.”

Residents of Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the city of Norton who are 60 or older may qualify if household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, or $1,995 a month for one person or $2,705 for two.

People who are interested can call the organization or apply online. Applicants should have contact information, household size and income ready, along with an account number if they need help with an electric bill.

Program for APCo and Old Dominion Power customers

Some community agencies in the region administer a separate assistance program for customers of APCo and Old Dominion Power. APCo calls it Neighbor to Neighbor, while Old Dominion Power uses the name WinterShare.

Run by the Pittsburgh-based Dollar Energy Fund, the programs help households with incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and can be used once a year. The fund offers an income calculator online.

APCo customers may receive up to $300, while Old Dominion Power customers may receive up to $250. Local coordinators said applicants must also have paid at least $100 in utilities during the previous 90 days.

Lynn Lane, an intake specialist at Appalachian Community Action and Development Agency, which has offices in Jonesville and Gate City, said the program sometimes is restarted, allowing her to secure two payments for a customer in a year. But if the balance is larger than the amount covered, she said, the customer cannot qualify until the bill is reduced.

Lane said it does not matter which county a person lives in; if they are a customer of either utility, they can contact her organization. Clinch Valley Community Action in North Tazewell and Family Crisis Center in Norton also administer the program.

Family Crisis Center in Norton

The Family Crisis Center in Norton has helped pay utility bills through the Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot program since the state funded it in 2020.

The program has assisted thousands of households across Virginia by using funds to cover delinquent rent and utilities for up to six months for qualifying households. Marybeth Adkins, the center’s director, said the funding awarded this year, $776,000, has helped nearly 700 households so far.

New funding will be awarded in January, but Adkins said the group has been operating with extremely low resources since September.

Across the utility assistance programs the center manages, “We’re down to almost nothing, which is very fearful for November and December,” she said. “We’ve gotten low on funds at the end of the year, but never like this.”

Even so, Adkins said the eviction reduction program is vital for the area because many renters who cannot pay utility bills are then evicted. The crisis center serves the coalfields, along with Bristol and Washington County, through the program.

Meeting the need requires creativity. In November, the center begins receiving holiday donations, and Adkins said staff also checks with other agencies on the grant to see whether they have money left over. Workers contact localities to learn the cutoff date for a power shutoff, and in December the center can pledge payments that may be completed later when new funding arrives in January.

Individuals and households qualify if their income is at or below 80% of area median income, a standard meant to help households that “earn too much to qualify for traditional safety-net programs but not enough to remain stably housed,” according to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. In Norton, that would be $41,495, according to the U.S. Census.

Renters who want to apply should contact the Family Crisis Center. They can call, visit in person or use the chat feature on the website.

Utility company options and other help

APCo offers several programs to help customers lower their bills, including a low-income weatherization program and energy efficiency kits that may include new shower heads or smart thermostats.

The company also participates in the Percentage of Income Payment Program, which lets customers whose income is at or below 150% of the poverty level pay 10% of their monthly income if they heat with electricity. Interested customers can apply through the state.

An Old Dominion Power spokesperson referred customers to the company’s partnerships with local agencies for fuel assistance, which are available online, and to its library of energy-saving tips.

Powell Valley Electric does not provide direct personal assistance, but it works with county social services.

People in need can also reach out to local churches and food pantries, agency employees said. Kevin Barnett, vice mayor of Gate City and president of Scott County Christian Social Ministry, said the ministry gives free firewood to families in need and helps pay utility bills with proceeds from its thrift store.

If you need electricity or heat for medical reasons, such as running oxygen machines or keeping insulin cold, call your utility, Lane said. She also encouraged people to attend local municipal meetings and speak out against electric rate increases.

Liz Lester, who works for Clinch Valley Community Action, said calling 211 can help anyone in Virginia connect with local housing and food resources.

Agency staff said organizations often must work together to help keep the lights on, and many of the programs depend on community donations.

Regarding the latest rate increase proposal, Jacobs said, “It’s going to take organizations coming together to care for individuals and keep them warm.”