Electric utilities; pilot programs for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. Amends annual funding commitments for the purposes of the annual pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals conducted by Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power Company. Under the bill, Appalachian Power Company is required to continue its pilot program at no less than $1 million and no greater than $1.5 million annually. Dominion Energy Virginia is required to continue its pilot program at no less than $156 million and no greater than $204 million for the time period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending July 1, 2038. The bill extends the sunset date of such pilot programs from July 1, 2028, to July 1, 2038.The bill also provides that Dominion Energy Virginia may recover costs associated with certain electrical facilities that have been approved by the State Corporation Commission as of December 1, 2033, provided that certain requirements are met and notwithstanding any limitations on such cost recovery in current law. The bill directs Dominion Energy Virginia to propose to the Commission, in any proceeding to determine rates for generation and distribution services commencing after January 1, 2027, and before July 1, 2033, that certain costs related to capacity procurement requirements and distribution infrastructure investments are allocated to the utility's customer class approved to serve customers with a contracted or measured electric demand of 25 megawatts or greater and an anticipated or measured average annual electric load factor of 75 percent or greater. The bill provides that certain customers in manufacturing, industrial, or consumer goods warehousing and distribution activities other than data storage may elect to remain on their existing rate schedule. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia, in connection with its first proceeding to determine rates for generation and distribution services commencing after July 1, 2026, to include in its petition to the Commission a proposal to revise its tariff for supplementary, maintenance, or standby service for customers with power plants, effective as of January 1, 2028. The bill provides that the Commission shall only approve such proposal if it determines that such tariff will not adversely affect other retail customers or the utility in a manner contrary to the public interest, and any revised tariff terms shall include protections against stranded cost risks to the utility customer base. Additionally, the bill authorizes Dominion Energy Virginia to file a petition for the securitization of certain deferred fuel costs.
Electric utilities; 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.
