
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 10, 1995                   TAG: 9510100054
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

STATE INCREASES UTILITIES' ASSESSMENTS

The State Corporation Commission has increased the assessed value of property owned by public service corporations in Virginia by 2.5 percent, to $21.44 billion from $20.92 billion last year.

The agency reported last week that Virginia's 22 electric utilities account for the largest share of the total with property valued at $13.7 billion, an increase of $450.3 million over last year, the SCC said. The state's 109 telecommunication companies account for the next largest share at $6.52 billion, an increase of $37.2 million over last year.

Virginia Power, the state's largest utility, has property valued at $10.16 billion, $332.3 million more than last year. Bell Atlantic, Virginia's largest phone company, has property assessed at $3.78 billion, an increase of $11.7 million from last year.

This year's assessment on which local taxes are based also encompassed nine natural gas and pipeline companies, 38 trucking companies and 95 water companies.

- Staff report

by CNB