Richmond Gas Works
Richmond Gas Works is a municipal natural gas distribution utility, the second oldest public gas utility in the United States, serving residential and commercial customers in the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and northern Chesterfield County, Virginia, since 1851.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1851
- HeadquartersRichmond, Virginia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Richmond Gas Works does
Richmond Gas Works is a municipal natural gas distribution utility founded in 1851, operating as a division of the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities in Virginia. It is the second oldest public gas utility in the United States, distributing natural gas to residential and business customers across the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and northern Chesterfield County through an exclusive franchise territory granted by municipal charter. The utility operates with no private equity, venture, or individual ownership interest, and is fully government-owned.
The utility's core infrastructure consists of underground pipelines delivering natural gas to homes and businesses, supplemented by digital customer-facing tools including an ArcGIS-based Gas Availability Search Tool that allows prospective customers to verify service availability before applying, and a multi-channel bill payment system supporting online EZ-PAY, automatic bank draft, phone, in-person, and mail payments. Operational safety features include a gas odorant system that injects sulfur-based odorant into otherwise odorless natural gas to enable public leak detection. Customer segments are residential households (heating, water heating, cooking, clothes drying, fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, standby generators) and commercial/industrial accounts (hotels, restaurants, hospitals, schools, supermarkets, manufacturers, factories).
As a public utility, Richmond Gas Works sells natural gas at-cost with no markup on the fuel itself, generating revenue through monthly usage-based distribution charges measured in ccf (100 cubic feet), recurring monthly service charges, one-time service initiation and transfer fees ($35), and construction cost contributions for pipeline extensions ($6 per foot for 1-inch pipe, $11 per foot for 2-inch pipe). Customer acquisition is driven by a dedicated Natural Gas Conversion Service targeting electric-only properties, supported by Development Services for residential whole-house heating and Energy Services for business and other residential requests. Operational coordination is maintained with Virginia 811 for underground utility locating and with Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield building permits offices for new installations and inspections.
Richmond Gas Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Richmond Gas Works
- Legal name
- City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities
- Website
- https://richmondgasworks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1851
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Richmond Gas Works is a municipal natural gas distribution utility, the second oldest public gas utility in the United States, serving residential and commercial customers in the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and northern Chesterfield County, Virginia, since 1851.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Richmond Gas Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural Gas Distribution
- NAICS
- Natural Gas Distribution (2212), Natural Gas Distribution (22121), Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas (48621)
- SIC
- Natural Gas Distribution (4924)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gas Mains (Distribution Pipelines) (EUAJABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Service Lines, Connections & Customer Hookups (New Taps) (TLAGADAF), New Gas Line Installation & Extensions (HSAOAKAA), Natural Gas (NG) Line Installation & Conversion (HSAOAKAK)
Keywords
Where Richmond Gas Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond, Virginia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Richmond Gas Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Natural Gas Distribution Service: Monthly billing for natural gas distribution services. Charges include a monthly service charge, volume charges based on gas consumption measured in ccf (100 cubic feet), and applicable city utility tax. As a public utility, natural gas is provided at-cost with no markup on the fuel itself.
- Service Fees: Fees for service initiation, transfer, and other account services. Fee to start or transfer service is $35.
- Construction Cost Contributions: Contribution in costs for underground gas line installation when extensions are required or when service line exceeds free allowance (100' for residential, 200' for business). Overrun fees: $6/ft for 1 inch pipe, $11/ft for 2 inch pipe.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Monthly | Standard Residential/Business Service |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Service Start/Transfer Fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Online Payment Convenience Fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free Service Line Allowance |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Overrun Pipe Installation Fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels3 records
Richmond Gas Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Richmond Gas Works is a municipal natural gas utility that distributes natural gas through underground pipelines to residential and business customers in the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and northern Chesterfield County. Founded in 1851, it is the second oldest public gas utility in the United States, providing gas at-cost with no markup and charging customers a monthly service fee plus usage-based volume charges.
Product overview
Richmond Gas Works is a municipal natural gas utility providing distribution services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and portions of northern Chesterfield County. Founded in 1851, it is the second oldest public gas utility in the United States. The core product is Natural Gas Distribution Service, which is complemented by customer-facing modules including Residential and Business Natural Gas Service segments, a Gas Availability Search Tool powered by ArcGIS for service area mapping, Bill Payment Services with multiple channels (EZ-PAY online, automatic payments, phone, in-person, mail), Service Start/Stop/Transfer for meter management, Appliance Addition/Replacement Service, Meter Relocation/Upgrade/Addition, Natural Gas Conversion Service for new customers, and 24/7 Gas Emergency Response. As a public utility, gas is sold at cost with customers only paying for delivery services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Natural Gas Distribution Service Core utility service providing natural gas distribution to homes and businesses in the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and northern Chesterfield County via underground pipelines. Customers are billed a monthly service charge plus usage-based volume charges measured in ccf (100 cubic feet), with gas supplied at-cost with no markup on the fuel.
- Residential Natural Gas Service
Quantifiable outcome
- $874 per year average savings for households using natural gas for heating, cooking, and clothes drying vs electricity
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Richmond Gas Works
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Richmond Gas Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Feature2 records
Richmond Gas Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Google Maps / ArcGIScoreGas availability search tool powered by ArcGIS mapping technology (escribed on esri.com). Enables customers to check if natural gas is available at their location before applying for service.
- EZ-PAY (i-doxs.net)coreThird-party online payment processing system for bill payment. Handles credit card and checking/savings account payments with $2.25 convenience fee and $500 transaction limit.
- Local Building Permits Offices (Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield)coreBuilding permits offices required for gas piping permits and inspections. Richmond: (804) 646-4169, Henrico: (804) 501-4360, Chesterfield: (804) 748-1057. These partnerships are essential for new service installations and appliance upgrades.
- Virginia 811coreUnderground utility locating service. Richmond Gas Works notifies 811 to locate and mark public utility underground lines. Customers must separately arrange for private underground line locating (irrigation, alarm systems, etc.).
- VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation)minorPaving requirements specified by VDOT may impact construction cost calculations for new gas service installations.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Richmond Gas Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Southwest Gas Corporation: Natural gas distribution utility serving customers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works as a regulated gas distribution LDC with residential and commercial customers, though operating in a different geography.
- Chesapeake Utilities Corporation: Diversified energy company providing natural gas distribution, transmission, and propane services across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions, including Delmarva and Florida. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works as a regional gas distribution utility with similar residential/commercial customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Dominion Energy Virginia: Dominant investor-owned utility in Virginia providing electric and natural gas service across the state. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works as a gas distribution provider in overlapping Virginia territory, but much larger and broader in scope, representing the dominant incumbent Richmond Gas Works competes against for conversions.
- National Grid: Large multinational utility operating gas distribution networks in the northeastern U.S. and the UK. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works in core LDC business model, but operates at vastly larger scale and serves a much broader customer base across multiple states.
- Spire Inc. Natural gas company operating LDCs in Missouri, Alabama, and Mississippi with non-utility operations. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works in distribution infrastructure and customer base, but at a much larger scale and with broader geographic and operational scope.
Direct peers
- Columbia Gas of Virginia: Natural gas distribution utility serving Virginia and other Mid-Atlantic states through local distribution networks. Directly comparable to Richmond Gas Works as a regulated LDC operating distribution mains and service lines to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Virginia.
- Citizens Energy Group: Municipal utility serving Indianapolis providing natural gas, electricity, water, and wastewater services. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works as a municipally owned gas utility operating distribution infrastructure for residential and commercial customers under an exclusive franchise.
- Memphis Light, Gas and Water: Municipal utility serving Memphis, Tennessee providing natural gas, electric, and water services. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works as a municipal gas utility operating distribution infrastructure with strong franchise protection and similar at-cost customer pricing philosophy.
- Piedmont Natural Gas: Natural gas distribution utility serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the Southeast U.S., including parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Comparable to Richmond Gas Works in distribution model, customer mix, and regulated at-cost economics.
- Washington Gas: Natural gas distribution utility serving the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area, including parts of Virginia and Maryland. Highly comparable to Richmond Gas Works as a regulated gas distributor with overlapping Virginia service territory and similar residential / commercial customer profile.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Richmond Gas Works social profiles
Digital presenceRichmond Gas Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Richmond Gas Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Richmond Gas Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Richmond Gas Works M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Richmond Gas Works
What does Richmond Gas Works do?
Richmond Gas Works is a municipal natural gas utility that distributes natural gas through underground pipelines to residential and business customers in the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and northern Chesterfield County. Founded in 1851, it is the second oldest public gas utility in the United States, providing gas at-cost with no markup and charging customers a monthly service fee plus usage-based volume charges.
Is Richmond Gas Works a public or private company?
Richmond Gas Works is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Richmond Gas Works founded?
Richmond Gas Works was founded in 1851. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Richmond Gas Works based?
Richmond Gas Works is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Richmond Gas Works make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Natural Gas Distribution Service is the primary driver. The others are service Fees and construction Cost Contributions.
Who are Richmond Gas Works's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Southwest Gas Corporation and Chesapeake Utilities Corporation. Broad incumbents are Dominion Energy Virginia, National Grid and Spire Inc.. Direct peers are Columbia Gas of Virginia, Citizens Energy Group, Memphis Light, Gas and Water, Piedmont Natural Gas and Washington Gas.
Does Richmond Gas Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for Richmond Gas Works.
What industry is Richmond Gas Works in?
Richmond Gas Works's product category is Natural Gas Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAJABAA, Gas Mains (Distribution Pipelines), with a secondary code of TLAGADAF, Service Lines, Connections & Customer Hookups (New Taps). Its NAICS code is 2212 and its SIC code is 4924.