Feature Articles

HB628 – Renewable energy portfolio standard program; requirements, power purchase agreements.

Amends certain renewable energy portfolio standard program requirements for Dominion Energy Virginia, including the annual percentage of program requirements to be met with solar, wind, or anaerobic digestion resources of one megawatt or less located in the Commonwealth.

The bill changes from 2025 to 2027 the compliance year beginning in which at least 75 percent of renewable energy certificates used by Dominion Energy Virginia shall come from eligible resources located in the Commonwealth.

The bill also removes the requirement for a solar-powered or wind-powered generation facility to have a capacity of no less than 50 kilowatts to qualify for a third party power purchase agreement under a pilot program.

The bill directs the State Corporation Commission, by July 1, 2033, to initiate a proceeding to evaluate the future availability of renewable energy certificates from certain resources and permits the Commission to increase or decrease by up to one percentage point the percentage of program requirements to be met by such resources in future compliance years.

The bill provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage development on previously developed project sites, as defined in existing law, to reduce the land use impacts of solar development. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.

This bill is identical to SB 175.

HB807 – Electric utilities; shared solar programs; Phase II Utility.

Amends certain provisions related to the shared solar program established by the State Corporation Commission for Dominion Energy Virginia. Under the bill, Dominion Energy Virginia is authorized to release an additional 525 megawatts of capacity as part two of such program upon the earlier of (i) a determination that at least 90 percent of the aggregate program capacity has been subscribed and project construction is substantially complete or (ii) July 1, 2026.

The bill directs Dominion Energy Virginia to petition the Commission to initiate a proceeding to determine the capacity for part three of such program on or before part two of such program is substantially complete for 268 megawatts of capacity.

The bill directs the Commission to evaluate the costs and benefits of the shared solar program under such proceeding and to consider the results of such proceeding in determining any future allocations of shared solar capacity and changes in program design. The bill directs the Commission to update its regulations on shared solar programs to comply with the provisions of the bill by December 31, 2026, and to require each participating utility to file any tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for implementation of such programs by March 1, 2027.

This bill is identical to SB 254.

SB508 – Electric utilities; surplus interconnection service sites. 

Directs Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia to undertake a comprehensive assessment of available interconnection capacity at each such utility’s existing and planned intermittent electric generation facilities located in the Commonwealth.

The bill directs such utilities to establish pilot programs for energy storage resources and solar generation facilities that utilize surplus interconnection service, as defined in the bill, including a request for proposals.

The bill requires such utilities to submit the results of such requests for proposals as part of their 2027 plans and petitions for approval for the development of new solar and onshore wind generation capacity, which plans are required under existing law.

This bill is identical to HB 1065.

HB369 – Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard; zero-carbon electricity; accelerated clean energy buyers. 

Revises the conditions under which accelerated clean energy buyers, defined in existing law as accelerated renewable energy buyers, may contract with Appalachian Power or Dominion Energy Virginia to obtain renewable energy certificates (RECs).

The bill exempts an accelerated clean energy buyer obtaining capacity, energy, or RECs from qualifying resources or facilities from the assignment of non-bypassable costs associated with compliance with the renewable portfolio standard program based on the amount and type of renewable energy certificates obtained in proportion to such accelerated clean energy buyer’s total electric energy consumption.

This bill is identical to SB 598.