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. This bill is identical to HB 628.
Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund created. Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations (i) in certain localities; (ii) on eligible public land, as defined in the bill; or (iii) within one mile of the boundary of eligible public land. The bill provides that a private developer may apply for a grant in an amount equal to 70 percent of the private developer's non-utility costs for the installation of such public electric vehicle charging stations. The awarding of a grant under the Program is conditional upon an agreement with the applicant that any cost of a project not funded by a grant awarded by the Program be funded by non-federal funds. The bill directs the Department of Energy to establish guidelines for the administration of the Program, including guidelines related to the application for and award of grants. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2031.
Transportation electrification; integrated resource planning; fast-charging stations; cost recovery by electric utilities. Permits Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company to file a proposed tariff with the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to provide utility owned and operated electrical distribution infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging stations. The bill requires Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company to file transportation electrification plans with the Commission by February 1, 2028, and every three years thereafter, and includes requirements for information to include in such plans. Under the bill, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company are required to seek recovery of necessary and appropriate expenditures for transportation electrification only through their rates for generation and distribution services.The bill prohibits Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company from petitioning for approval of expenditures to own and operate electric vehicle fast-charging stations unless such stations are located at or beyond a radial distance as determined by the Commission relative to the location of any privately owned fast charging station. The bill also directs the Commission to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to determine the appropriate radial distance for such utility-owned fast-charging stations from privately-owned fast charging stations, to enter its final rule in such proceeding no later than December 31, 2027, and to review such final rule by December 31, 2029. Provisions of the bill restricting the radial distance of utility owned and operated fast-charging stations expire on July 1, 2031. This bill is identical to SB 407.
An Act to amend and reenact § 10.1-1197.5, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to small renewable energy projects; agrivoltaics definition.
Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program; deficiency payments. Changes from $45 to $0.01 the amount of deficiency payment required by certain electric utilities that are unable to meet the compliance obligations of the renewable energy portfolio standard program requirements and removes provisions requiring a payment of $75 per megawatt-hour of shortfall in procuring renewable energy certificates for solar, wind, or anaerobic digesters.
Income tax; energy-efficient homes tax credits. Authorizes a nonrefundable income tax credit, during taxable years 2026 through 2030, in an amount equal to $2,500 for the construction of an energy-efficient home or $1,000 for the purchase of such home. The bill also authorizes a nonrefundable income tax credit, during taxable years 2026 through 2030, in an amount equal to $5,000 for the construction of an extra-efficient home or $2,000 for the purchase of such home. The bill clarifies that either an eligible contractor or an eligible purchaser, but not both, shall be able to claim the credit for any single energy-efficient or extra-efficient home, as applicable, and establishes a maximum credit amount that an eligible purchaser or eligible contractor may claim per taxable year of $250,000.
Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank; established; report. Creates the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank to finance clean energy projects, greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects, and other qualified projects through the strategic deployment of public funds in the form of grants, loans, credit enhancements, and other financing mechanisms. An advisory board consisting of nonlegislative citizen members and ex officio members shall oversee the Bank and provide recommendations related to the Bank and its effectiveness. The bill contains provisions for (i) the powers and duties of the Bank, (ii) lending practices, (iii) a strategic plan, (iv) an investment strategy, (v) public outreach requirements, (vi) audits, and (vii) reporting requirements. This bill is identical to SB 225.
Solar energy facilities; prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements; report; civil penalties. Requires each solar developer, including its contractors and subcontractors, to ensure payment at the prevailing wage rate set by the Department of Labor and Industry for any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform construction, maintenance, or repair work for certain electricity generating sources. The bill requires each solar developer to (i) ensure that a percentage of the total labor hours of such work is performed by qualified apprentices and (ii) employ at least one qualified apprentice if four or more individuals are employed to perform such work. Under the bill, a solar developer that fails to meet the requirements of its provisions is required to make penalty payments to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry.
Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program. Repeals provisions (i) requiring Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to participate in a renewable energy portfolio standard program that requires each such utility to procure and retire renewable energy certificates and (ii) permitting the recovery of certain costs associated with compliance with such program.
Electric utilities; suspension of certain requirements. Provides that the renewable energy portfolio standard requirements and any associated construction, procurement, or retirement mandates are suspended for the applicable compliance year if the State Corporation Commission determines that compliance has resulted in, or will result in, any of the following: (i) an increase in the average residential customer’s total monthly electric bill of more than five percent in any calendar year that is attributable to compliance with the renewable energy portfolio standard or associated zero-carbon generation or energy storage requirements; (ii) an increase in any rate adjustment clause, rider, or non-bypassable charge associated with compliance with this section that exceeds $50 per month for the average residential customer; (iii) a determination that compliance poses a material risk to electric system reliability or resource adequacy in the Commonwealth; or (iv) a determination that the cost of renewable energy certificates necessary for compliance exceeds the applicable alternative compliance payment or deficiency payment for two consecutive compliance years.
