The Virginia Department of Public Utilities (VPU) is a city owned entity, which has been serving the City of Virginia since 1913. The Department of Public Utilities Commission governs VPU. The Commission and employees strive to provide the citizens of Virginia with quality products and superior customer service at reasonable rates. The Utility produces electricity and steam with its co-generating facility, it has a state-of-the-art water treatment plant that produces high-quality water, and it sells natural gas. The city of Virginia is located on the Iron Range in northern Minnesota. Virginia is part of the Quad Cities of Eveleth, Mountain Iron, and Gilbert covering a total of 70 square miles with a combined population of 25,481. In 2004, a joint venture with the Hibbing Public Utilities Commission was created, which is known as Laurentian Energy Authority (LEA). Wood-burning boilers were installed at both facilities, along with a wood-handling yard in Mt. Iron. Both Virginia and Hibbing Public Utilities burn biomass to provide 35 megawatt hours of electricity to Northern States Power (Xcel Energy). Currently the steam system supplies over 1,800 customers, electric serves over 5,200 customers, water serves over 3,900 customers and gas serves over 1,600 customers.