RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is headlining a new coalition advocating to "uberize" the state's electric utilities by promoting competition.
Cuccinelli and groups from across the political spectrum announced Tuesday the formation of the Virginia Energy Reform Coalition, including environmental and libertarian-leaning groups.
The new coalition said it wants electric monopolies limited to just controlling transmission and distribution of electricity, and allow competition for the generation of power.
Critics of Dominion Energy, the state's largest electric monopoly, have long complained that the company uses its outsized influence in state politics to charge customers too much and stifle innovation.
Dominion spokesman Rayhan Daudani said the company's customers already "get a great value" and deregulating utilities in Virginia would lead to higher prices and less reliable service.
