ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – An electric utilities proposal before the General Assembly that would have allowed AEP customers greater freedom to choose service providers in the state of Virginia has failed.

Proposal SB1281, known as the AEP Accountability Act, was sponsored by Virginia State Senator Travis Hackworth (R) of District 5 and would have allowed any customers of a Phase I Utility using 1,000kWh/month exceeding 125% of the statewide average to purchase energy from any licensed supplier in the Commonwealth. Additionally, it would have decreased the allowed period for customers switching to a competing supplier from being barred as a returning as a customer from 5 years to 90 days.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, Sen. Hackworth released a statement on social media that said,

“I am deeply disappointed in the vote to defeat my commonsense legislation to allow greater freedom for Appalachian Power customers.  The people in Southwest Virginia are hurting.  We need relief and we need it now.  

This afternoon, I proposed a limited pilot program that would allow local governments to aggregate their locality’s customers together and select a licensed supplier to provide their power generation.  This pilot program would provide meaningful relief.  

But, at the end of the day, I don’t care what the relief looks like.  It just needs to happen.  This fight isn’t over.  

Appalachian Power needs to listen to the cries of their customers and work with us to bring their rates down to the levels of their competitors.”

The proposal was “passed by indefinitely” in committee indicating it failed in an 8Y – 7N vote.