Appalachian Power is running a TV ad aimed at correcting what it calls distortions perpetuated during the election season. And WFIR’s Velvet Hall says the ad comes a week after two of its harshest and most outspoken critics lost their seats in the Virginia Legislature.
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To see Appalachian Power’s new commercial, click here.
Appalachian Power news release:
APPALACHIAN POWER AD ADDRESSES FALSE POLITICAL ADS
ROANOKE, Va., November 15, 2011 – In a television ad that begin airing today, Appalachian Power is correcting distortions about the company and electric rates perpetuated during the election season.
Appalachian and electric rates were a cornerstone issue for one House of Delegates candidate in the region and his advertisements ran heavily in the Roanoke-Lynchburg media market. The ads continued to run even after the claims in them were proven false by PolitiFact, an independent research investigative arm of Richmond Times Dispatch.
“We weren’t on the ballot, but we were dragged into the campaign,” said Charles Patton, Appalachian Power president and COO. “And most of what people heard about us was factually inaccurate. Our biggest concern is that the political ads gave a false impression about why electricity costs more today than it once did and that could prevent people from taking steps necessary to reduce their electric consumption.”
In Appalachian’s advertisement, employees reinforce the fact that federal regulations and fluctuations in the price of coal have been primary drivers for rate increases customers have experienced since 2005.
The ad can be viewed at www.appalachianpower.com/go/factsmatter. After a brief run of the ad, Appalachian will return to its more traditional advertising, which focuses on educating customers about electric rates, helping them use electricity more efficiently and promoting programs that can help customers pay their bills.
