A Poppy the Pygmy Update, Energy Cost Increases, and an Old Building
Cheers RVA!
Today will be mild, partly cloudy and breezy with a high of 65 and a low of 57.
the juice:
Dominion Energy is proposing significant increases in both the base rate and fuel charge that would amount to an additional $21 charge to the average $142 monthly bill that uses 1000 kW hours of electricity.
An $8.51 average increase on the base rate for 2026 with an additional $2 increase in 2027 would mark the first increase on the base rate since 1992.
Dominion is also requesting a $10.92 increase in monthly fuel charges for the average consumer.
Rates for residential users have been 40% lower than inflation in the past decade, according to Virginia Business.
Another proposal would create a new rate class for high energy users like data centers that consume massive amounts of energy, requiring a commitment to paying for 14 years of requested power, even if they consume less.
Currently data centers consume more than 25% of Virginia’s electricity, with load expected to increase as generative AI modeling becomes more ubiquitous.
One 2024 study estimates the power needed for a OpenAI Chat-GPT query is 10x of a standard Google search, noting emerging AI applications are likely to consume much more power.
the pulp:
The Shockoe Examiner explores the ‘the curious case of the Chamber of Commerce Building’ that once stood at the intersection of 9th and Main Street, was demolished in 1911, but remained relevant in the streetscape for a century later.
Poppy the pigmy hippo has made her debut at the outdoor hippo habitat at the Richmond Metro Zoo. The habitat includes a large pool with an underwater viewing window allowing guests to see poppy swimming alongside her mom.
the dive:
Jonathan Spiers at Bizsense dives into the question of whether the City of Richmond will sue VCU Health regarding a dispute over $56 million in real estate tax payments owed after a failed downtown development project.
Property owned by VCU or VCU Health is typically exempt from local taxes, but payments were worked into the agreement to allow the city to continue receiving revenue from the site of the old Public Safety Building.
Spiers writes:
It’s a question that has lingered since the General Assembly directed the health system, by way of budget language last year, to find a way to stop the annual payments, which VCU Health agreed to make as part of the ill-fated $325 million redevelopment of the city’s old Public Safety Building site.
It’s also a question that needs to be asked and answered, said Bill Leighty, a state government veteran who said he lost his job with Virginia Commonwealth University for not broaching the payments topic in a recent forum with Richmond Mayor Danny Avula.
Read the full article here.
the vibe:
Have an expressive day RVA!
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