A&N Electric members to see rate increase beginning May 1

Members of A&N Electric Cooperative will see an increase in their monthly electric bills beginning May 1, 2026, due to a change in the Power Cost Adjustment.

The adjustment, which reflects the cost of wholesale power purchased through Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC), will shift from a credit of $0.00300 per kilowatt-hour to a charge of $0.00693 per kilowatt-hour. For a typical residential member using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, the change represents an increase of approximately 7.2 percent compared to recent costs.

Cooperative officials emphasized that the Power Cost Adjustment is a direct pass-through and does not include any markup by A&N Electric.

The increase is being driven by a combination of factors, including higher wholesale power costs during the winter and anticipated compliance expenses tied to Virginia’s expected reentry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. The multistate program requires power generators to purchase carbon allowances, costs that are passed along to utilities and ultimately to consumers.

According to the cooperative, extreme winter weather earlier this year also played a significant role. Prolonged cold temperatures in January and February led to spikes in natural gas prices and increased volatility in energy markets. Natural gas prices, which typically range from $4 to $5 per dekatherm, surged to as high as $135 during peak demand periods.

In a press release from ANEC, Jay Diem Supervisor, Communications and Public Relations said that while ODEC owns and operates generation facilities that help reduce reliance on market purchases, utilities are not fully insulated from sustained regional price spikes. Increased energy usage during cold weather further compounded the impact, as heating systems ran longer and relied more heavily on electric backup systems.

Despite those challenges, A&N Electric said ODEC’s generation resources and hedging strategies helped maintain reliable service throughout the winter and limited the overall impact on members.

The cooperative remains committed to managing controllable costs and maintaining transparency with its membership while continuing to work with ODEC to improve efficiency and expand energy supply.

A&N Electric is also encouraging members to take advantage of available tools to better manage energy use and costs. Through the SmartHub app, members can monitor their electricity usage, while the My Co-op Marketplace offers discounts on energy-efficient products.

Members with questions about their bills or who may be experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to contact the cooperative. Assistance programs and flexible payment options are available.