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Bills Awaits Governor’s Signature
SB1316 – Renewable energy portfolio standard eligible sources; geothermal electric generating resources. Provides those geothermal electric generating resources, as defined in the bill, located in the Commonwealth or physically located within the PJM region are eligible for compliance with renewable energy portfolio standard requirements.
SB893 – Bill would require Dominion and APCo to procure and require geothermal heating and cooling RECs beginning with the 2026 RPS compliance year. The bill would also amend the method for calculating such RECs and directs the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation to prepare a report evaluating their procurement and retirement by 11/1/27. The bill would also direct the Real Estate Appraiser Board to promulgate regulations requiring the development of a continuing education curriculum and required training for all licensees that includes how to properly determine the increase in value of real estate created by reductions in building energy costs associated with solar, geothermal, and solar water heating investments.
SB823 – Bill would require Dominion and APCo, to submit plans for renewable energy facility construction to SCC for approval with respect to: (1) options for utilizing local workers; (2) the state economic development benefits of the project; (3) opportunities to advance state workforce and economic development goals; and (4) giving priority to the hiring, apprenticeship, and training of local workers, workers from historically economically disadvantaged communities, and veterans.
HB2537 – Bill directs the DOE, by December 1, 2025, to create model ordinances for localities to use in the regulation of energy storage projects, and to update the model ordinances every three years.
The bill would also amend energy storage (ES) capacity requirements for APCo and Dominion. Previously, the utilities were required to construct or acquire by 12/31/35, respectively, 400MW and 2,700MW of energy storage capacity. This bill would require the utilities to petition for approval to construct, acquire, or procure the following:
APCo:
- 780MW of short-duration (less than 10 hours) ES capacity by 12/31/40;
- 520MW of long-duration (10 or more hours) ES capacity by 12/31/45,
- half of long-duration capacity must be petitioned for by 12/31/35; and
- half of long-duration capacity must have a duration of over 24 hours.
Dominion:
- 4,000MW of short-duration ES capacity by 12/31/40;
- 5,220MW of short-duration ES capacity by 12/31/45;
- 3,480MW of long-duration ES capacity by 12/31/45;
- half of long-duration capacity must be petitioned for by 12/31/35; and
- half of long-duration capacity must have a duration of over 24 hours.
