Utilities
Electricity
The region is served by reliable Mid-Atlantic electric provider Dominion Virginia Power, as well as local electric cooperatives Prince George Electric Cooperative and Southside Electric Cooperative offering more personalized service in particular parts of the region, at rates often lower than the national average. Many local industrial sites have redundancy or redundancy potential, accommodating near-100% uptime for modern production and operational requirements.
Average Monthly Electric Rates in Virginia
User Type | Number of Customers | Estimated Average Monthly Consumption (kWh) | Average Price (cents/kWh) | Estimated Average Monthly Bill (Dollars) |
Residential | 3,551,532 | 1,313 | 11.96 | 157 |
Commercial | 442,263 | 13,278 | 7.79 | 1,034 |
Industrial | 3,687 | 534,635 | 6.49 | 34,698 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2021 annual data (released in November 2022).
Water & Wastewater
Communities work with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to ensure adequate resources are available to local industry. Water and wastewater is generally provided by its corresponding local government authority. Already serving major water users, parts of the region are equipped to handle special industrial needs such as reclaimed water, spring quality, no pre-treatment, and more.
Average service rates differ depending on the locality.
Community/Provider | Residential Bill | Business Bill |
Dinwiddie County Water Authority | $54.62 | $8,092 |
Sussex Service Authority | $71.35 | $26,200 |
Median Water Rate in Virginia | $40.99 | $6,345 |
Median Wastewater Rate in Virginia | $52.74 | $8,527 |
Note: residential bill for 5,000 gallons/month, business for 1 million gallons/month, not all communities participate in the survey. Source: TRC/Draper Aden Associates, 2023 annual report.
Natural Gas
Columbia Gas of Virginia serves the region with natural gas, drawing from a major distribution pipeline running through the region, with another pipeline project in the works by Dominion to supplement existing capacity.
Typical Natural Gas Rates for Virginia
Year | Residential | Commercial | Industrial |
2021 | $13.68 | $9.33 | $5.16 |
2022 | $16.10 | $11.54 | $7.53 |
Note: Prices per 1,000 cf, prices are in nominal dollars. Source: Energy Information Administration, 2021 and 2022 annual data.
Telecommunications & Data
- Virginia ranks among the top 10 states in the U.S. for internet speed
- Telephone service providers: AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon
- Internet Service Providers: Comcast and Verizon are the largest; also T-Mobile, HughesNet, and a host of smaller providers
- Fiber optic network: MBC, Verizon and Comcast. Digital switching and Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) self-healing fiber optic rings ensure uninterrupted and maximum-speed service.