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- Subject Index: Since 1995
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2020 SESSION
Spruill (Chair), Norment, Newman, Lucas, Marsden
Date of Meeting: January 27, 2020
Time and Place: Upon Adjournment of Senate Commerce and Labor / Senate Room A
Patron: Stanley
Utility easements. Provides that any utility easement, granted before, on, or after July 1, 2020, whether granted publicly or privately, by statute, local ordinance, deed, or other recorded instrument, or by prescription, shall be deemed to include the laying, hanging, and maintenance of fiber optic cable. The bill further provides that any utility easement shall also be deemed to include access over private or public lands to permit the grantee to have physical access to such cable, unless the instrument granting the easement was recorded prior to July 1, 2020, and specifically states otherwise.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 55.1-306 of the Code of Virginia, relating to utility easements.20100783D
Patron: Bell
Electric utility regulation; energy efficiency standard. Requires Dominion Energy Virginia (DEV) and American Electric Power (AEP) to achieve incremental net annual savings in accordance with a schedule that starts in 2021, when savings are required to be at least 0.35 percent of the average annual energy retail sales by that utility in the three preceding calendar years, and increases the level of required savings until 2027 and thereafter, when savings are required to be at least two percent of the utility's average annual energy retail sales in the three preceding calendar years. The measure requires the utilities to retain an independent, qualified third-party evaluator to determine the utility's incremental net annual savings and other benefits of the program. The measure requires the State Corporation Commission, for any year that a utility meets the annual energy efficiency standard, to allow for the additional recovery of a margin on its program's operating expenses through a rate adjustment clause that provides the utility with a margin equal to the general rate of return on common equity. The Commission is directed to award an additional 20 basis points for each 0.1 percent of annual savings in excess of the required amount of savings, with a cap on total performance incentive awards in any year of 10 percent of the utility's total energy efficiency spending in that year. The measure also (i) increases the portion of the approved costs of certain utility energy efficiency programs that are required to be allocated to programs designed to benefit low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals from five percent to 15 percent of the approved costs of such programs and adds veterans to be benefited from such programs; (ii) requires the energy efficiency stakeholder process established for the purpose of providing input and feedback on the development of electric utilities' energy efficiency programs to include the participation of certain Commission personnel who participate in approval and oversight of utility efficiency programs; (iii) directs the Commission to increase the utility's rates to recover for revenue reductions related to energy efficiency programs if the revenue reductions have caused the utility, during the test period or periods under review, to earn more than 50 basis points below a fair combined rate of return on its generation and distribution services or, for any test period commencing after December 31, 2012, for DEV and after December 31, 2013, for AEP, more than 70 basis points below a fair combined rate of return on its generation and distribution services; (iv) allows certain large general service customers to avoid participation in energy efficiency programs and to avoid paying for the costs of such programs through a rate adjustment clause upon receiving an exemption from the Commission; and (v) provides that certain energy efficiency pilot programs may be deemed to be in the public interest.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 56-576, 56-585.1, and 56-596.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utility regulation; energy efficiency programs.20104635D
Patrons: Suetterlein, Bell
Electric utilities; retail competition; renewable energy. Allows individual retail customers of an electric utility to purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energy from any licensed supplier. The measure eliminates (i) provisions that prohibit such a purchase from a licensed supplier that is an incumbent electric utility that is not the incumbent electric utility serving the exclusive service territory in which the customer is located and (ii) a condition that permits such purchases only if the electric utility serving the applicable exclusive service territory does not offer a tariff for 100 percent renewable energy.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-577 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utilities; retail competition; renewable energy.20104747D
Patron: McPike
Electric utilities; retail competition. Shortens from five years to three years the period that a customer who switches from an investor-owned electric utility to a licensed competing supplier is barred from returning as a customer of the utility. The measure provides that if a single person purchases electric energy from a licensed supplier and such electric energy is composed of a percentage of renewable energy equal to or greater than the percentage of renewable energy that the licensed supplier is required to provide pursuant to any renewable energy portfolio standard, such person will constitute a single retail customer, notwithstanding that service is provided to noncontiguous sites. Under current law, for the purposes of purchasing energy from a licensed competing supplier, noncontiguous sites are considered individual retail customers and cannot be aggregated to meet the energy demand threshold regardless of common ownership or control. The measure provides that for cooperative customers the lockout period remains five years and noncontiguous sites are still considered individual retail customers. The measure also allows individual retail customers of an electric utility to purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energy from any licensed supplier. The measure eliminates the condition that permits such purchases only if the electric utility serving the applicable exclusive service territory does not offer a tariff for 100 percent renewable energy. Finally, the measure directs the State Corporation Commission to update its consumer protection regulations relating to the availability of service through licensed suppliers.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-577 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utility regulation; retail competition.20105115D
Patron: Edwards
Third-party power purchase agreements. Exempts sellers under third-party power purchase agreements from being defined as a public utility, public service corporation, public service company, or electric utility solely because of the sale of electricity or ownership or operation of a distributed generation facility. The measure provides that the sale of electricity generated at a distributed energy facility by a person that is not a public utility, public service corporation, or public service company to a customer that is purchasing or leasing the distributed energy facility under the terms of a third-party power purchase agreement does not constitute the retail sale of electricity. The measure proscribes State Corporation Commission regulation of the sale of electric energy that is generated on site by a distributed generation facility pursuant to a third-party power purchase agreement. The measure also repeals the pilot program initially enacted in 2013 that authorized Dominion Energy to enter into certain third-party power purchase agreements providing financing of certain renewable generation facilities.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 56-1.2 and 56-265.1 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 56-1.2:2 and 56-232.2:2; and to repeal Chapters 358 and 382 of the Acts of Assembly of 2013, as amended by Chapter 803 of the Acts of Assembly of 2017, relating to the regulation of retail sales of electricity under third-party sales agreements.20102819D
Patron: Peake
Utility easements; broadband or other communications services. Declares that it is policy of the Commonwealth that (i) existing or future easements for the location and use of electric facilities be used to provide or expand broadband or other communications services; (ii) such use of such easements is in the public interest; (iii) the use of such easements for the provision of broadband or other communications services, where no additional poles are erected, does not constitute a change in the physical use of the easement, interfere with or impair any vested rights of the owner or occupier of the servient estate, nor does it place any additional burden on the servient estate; and (iv) the installation and operation of broadband or other communications services within an existing or future electric easement are merely changes in the manner, purpose, or degree of the granted use as appropriate to accommodate a new technology. The measure also establishes that in the absence of any express prohibition on the installation and operation of broadband services in an existing electric easement, the installation and operation of broadband services within the existing electric easement shall be deemed as a matter of law to be permitted uses within the scope of every easement for the location and use of electricity facilities. The measure also limits the damages that a landowner may be awarded in any trespass action against a public utility or a broadband service provider or any of its employees, agents, officers, attorneys, directors, representatives, or contractors arising from the installation, maintenance, or operation of any utility poles, wires, conduit, or other infrastructure or fiber optic cabling to the lesser of actual damages or $2,000 per tract of land.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 55.1-306 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the use of electric utility easements to provide communications services.20104755D
Patron: Surovell
Distributed electric generation; community solar gardens. Authorizes the establishment of community solar gardens, which are required to be owned by a subscriber organization that has at least 10 subscribers. Subscribers will receive credits on their utility bills from energy generated at the solar facility in proportion to the size of their subscription. The output and renewable energy credits from a solar garden shall be purchased by the utility in the form of net metering credits allocated to the subscribers. To the extent that a subscriber's net metering credit exceeds the subscriber's electric bill in any billing period, the credit will be applied against future bills. If the electricity output of the community solar garden is not fully subscribed, the utility is required to purchase the unsubscribed renewable energy at a rate equal to the utility's average hourly incremental cost of electricity supply over the immediately preceding calendar year.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 56 a chapter numbered 29, consisting of sections numbered 56-614 through 56-619, relating to distributed solar generation facilities; community solar gardens.20101887D
Patron: Surovell
Public utilities; energy storage capacity in the Commonwealth. Provides that it is the objective of the General Assembly that 1,000 megawatts of aggregate energy storage capacity be placed into service on or before July 1, 2030. The bill provides that energy storage facilities with an aggregate capacity of 1,000 megawatts are in the public interest and that prior to January 1, 2030, (i) the construction by a public utility of one or more energy storage facilities located in the Commonwealth, having in the aggregate a rated capacity that does not exceed 1,000 megawatts, or (ii) the purchase by a public utility of energy storage facilities described in clause (i) owned by persons other than a public utility or the capacity from such facilities is in the public interest. The bill requires that at least 50 percent of the energy storage capacity placed in service on or after July 1, 2020, located in the Commonwealth and found to be in the public interest is from the purchase by a public utility of energy storage facilities owned by persons other than a public utility or the capacity from such facilities. The bill provides that such purchases shall be subject to competitive procurement, provided that a public utility may select energy storage facilities without regard to whether such selection satisfies price criteria if the selection of the energy storage facilities materially advances non-price criteria, including favoring geographic distribution of generating facilities, areas of higher employment, or regional economic development, if such facilities do not exceed 25 percent of the utility's energy storage capacity. The bill provides that an integrated resource plan (IRP) should include recommended plans for utilizing energy storage facilities to meet forecasted demand and assure adequate and sufficient reliability of service and requires that in preparing an IRP, each electric utility shall systematically evaluate and may propose developing a long-term plan to integrate new energy storage facilities into existing generation and distribution assets to assist with grid transformation. Finally, the bill requires the State Corporation Commission, in the annual report required by legislation enacted in the 2018 Session, to assess the aggregate annual new construction and purchase of energy storage facilities.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 56-265.1, 56-585.1, 56-585.1:4, 56-598, and 56-599 of the Code of Virginia and to amend and reenact the fourteenth enactment of Chapter 296 of the Acts of Assembly of 2018, relating to public utilities; energy storage capacity in the Commonwealth.20102882D
Patron: McClellan
Distributed renewable energy. Promotes the establishment of distributed renewable solar and other renewable energy. The measure (i) increases from one percent to 10 percent the systemwide cap on the total amount of renewable energy that can be net metered in a utility's service territory, (ii) authorizes third-party power purchase agreements for all customer classes throughout the Commonwealth, (iii) allows local governments and certain other public bodies to install solar or wind facilities of up to five megawatts on government-owned property and use the electricity for government-owned buildings, (iv) allows all net metering customers to attribute output from a single solar array to multiple meters, (v) allows the owner of a multifamily residential building or the common areas of a condominium to install a renewable energy generation facility and sell the electricity to tenants or condominium unit owners, (vi) removes the restriction on customers installing a net-metered generation facility larger than that required to meet their previous 12 months' demand, (vii) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generation facilities from one megawatt to three megawatts, and (viii) removes the ability of utilities to assess standby charges. The measure also amends the Commonwealth Energy Policy to include provisions supporting distributed generation of renewable energy.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 56-1.2, 56-594, and 67-102 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 15.2-2109.4, 56-1.2:2, 56-232.2:2, 56-585.1:11, 56-585.1:12, and 56-594.3; and to repeal Chapters 358 and 382 of the Acts of Assembly of 2013, as amended by Chapter 803 of the Acts of Assembly of 2017, relating to the regulation of sales of electricity under third-party sales agreements; exempt resales of electricity by the owner of a multifamily residential building; net energy metering; installation of solar and wind energy facilities by local governments; and the removal of other barriers to the increased implementation of distributed solar and other renewable energy in the Commonwealth.20104871D
Patron: McClellan
Rate of return for investor-owned electric utilities. Provides that the State Corporation Commission, in determining a fair rate of return on common equity for an investor-owned electric utility after July 1, 2020, shall not set such rate (i) lower than the average of the authorized returns on common equity that is set by the applicable regulatory commission for other investor-owned electric utilities in the utility's peer group or (ii) higher than 150 basis points above such average. Under current law, the floor for such rate of return on common equity is the average of the returns on common equity of the utility's peer group reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the three most recent annual periods and the ceiling is 300 basis points above such average.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-585.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utility regulation; authorized rate of return.20101582D
Patron: Marsden
Electric utilities; on-bill tariff programs. Authorizes electric utilities to establish on-bill tariff programs under which the utility and a customer enter into an agreement that provides for the costs, including financing costs, of energy efficiency measures to be paid by or through the utility and repaid by the customer by means of an energy savings charge on the customer's monthly bill. Under the bill, energy efficiency measures can include heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters, weatherization, insulation, window and door modifications, appliances, and automatic or Internet-connected control systems. The bill provides terms for such on-bill tariff programs for investor-owned utilities and utility consumer services cooperatives. Additionally, the bill authorizes electric utilities to establish similar on-bill tariff programs for electrification and renewable facilities, which include equipment, facilities, Internet connectivity, electric vehicle charging, backup generators, and storage facilities.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 56-585.5, 56-585.6, and 56-585.7 relating to electric utilities; on-bill tariff programs; established.20105175D
Patron: Lewis
Utility easements; location of broadband facilities. Declares that it is policy of the Commonwealth that (i) existing easements for the location and use of electric facilities be used to provide or expand broadband services; (ii) such use of existing easements to provide or expand broadband services is in the public interest; (iii) the use of such existing easements for the provision of broadband services, where no additional poles are erected, does not constitute a change in the physical use of the easement, interfere with or impair any vested rights of the owner or occupier of the servient estate, or place any additional burden on the servient estate; and (iv) the installation and operation of broadband services within an existing electric easement are merely changes in the manner, purpose, or degree of the granted use as appropriate to accommodate a new technology. The measure also establishes that in the absence of any express prohibition on the installation and operation of broadband services in an existing electric easement, the installation and operation of broadband services within the existing electric easement shall be deemed as a matter of law to be permitted uses within the scope of every easement for the location and use of electricity facilities. The measure also limits the damages that a landowner may be awarded in any trespass action against a public utility arising from the installation, maintenance, or operation of any utility poles, wires, conduit, or other infrastructure or fiber optic cabling to the lesser of actual damages or $2,000 per landowner bringing a claim.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 55.1-306 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the use of existing utility easements to provide or expand broadband services.20104980D
Patron: Petersen
Electric energy; customer choice. Provides that all retail customers of electric energy within the Commonwealth will be permitted to purchase electricity from any supplier licensed to sell retail electric energy within the Commonwealth by January 1, 2023. The bill requires, by January 1, 2022, the State Corporation Commission to promulgate all regulations it deems necessary to ensure the orderly transition to a competitive market for electric energy in the Commonwealth.
The bill provides that such regulations (i) provide for the customer choice for electricity for all customer classes, thereby deregulating the retail sale and pricing of the generation component of electricity service; (ii) require the divestiture of generation assets or the functional separation of the generation and transmission and distribution businesses of each incumbent electric utility operating in the Commonwealth; (iii) provide all retail customers with guaranteed access to fairly priced electric generation service from a provider of last resort; (iv) provide benefits to all rate classes; (v) include adequate consumer protections, marketing standards, and complaint procedures; and (vi) ensure reliability and compliance with federal and state environmental laws and regulations.
The bill provides that incumbent electric utilities will continue to provide distribution services within their exclusive service territories and the Commission will continue to regulate the distribution of retail electric energy to retail customers and, to the extent permitted under federal law, the transmission of electric energy. Additionally, the bill requires that the Commission promulgate regulations requiring all suppliers of electric energy, including providers of last resort, to obtain at least 25 percent of their retail energy sales in the Commonwealth from renewable energy by January 1, 2025; 50 percent of their retail energy sales in the Commonwealth from renewable energy by January 1, 2030; and 100 percent of their retail energy sales in the Commonwealth from renewable energy by January 1, 2050.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 56-585.1:11, relating to electric energy; customer choice.20102677D
Patron: McClellan
Electric utility regulation; environmental goals. Replaces the existing voluntary renewable energy portfolio system (RPS) program with a mandatory RPS that applies to electric utilities and licensed competitive suppliers. Under the mandatory RPS, utilities and suppliers are required to produce their electricity from 100 percent renewable sources by 2050, with annual steps that direct the electricity be generated in specific percentages in nine tiers or sub-tiers. A utility or supplier that does not meet its targets is required to pay a specific deficiency payment or purchase renewable energy certificates. The proceeds from the deficiency payments are to be deposited into an account administered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, which is directed to distribute specific percentages of the moneys to low-income, disability, veteran, and age-qualifying energy efficiency programs; additional energy efficiency measures for public facilities; coastal resiliency efforts; and administrative costs. Among other things, the measure also (i) adopts a 2,400 megawatt energy storage deployment target for the Commonwealth and requires the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to adopt regulations for the implementation of the energy storage deployment target that outline a deployment target of 2,400 megawatts by 2035 with interim targets that include Commission-approved energy storage system resources; (ii) establishes an energy efficiency standard under which each investor-owned incumbent electric utility is required to achieve incremental annual energy efficiency savings that start in 2021 at 0.35 percent of the average annual energy retail sales by that utility in the three preceding calendar years and increase annually until 2027 and thereafter when energy efficiency savings of at least two percent of the average annual energy retail sales by that utility in the three preceding calendar years are required; (iii) exempts large general service customers from energy savings requirements; (iv) revises the incentive for electric utility energy efficiency programs; (v) provides that if the Commission finds in any triennial review that revenue reductions related to energy efficiency measures or programs approved and deployed since the utility's previous triennial review have caused the utility to earn more than 50 basis points below a fair combined rate of return on its generation and distribution services or, for any test period commencing after December 31, 2012, for Dominion Energy Virginia and after December 31, 2013, for American Electric Power, more than 70 basis points below a fair combined rate of return on its generation and distribution services, the Commission shall order increases to the utility's rates for generation and distribution services necessary to recover such revenue reductions; (vi) provides that in the case of a facility utilizing energy derived from offshore wind, the utility shall identify options for utilizing local workers, consult with the Commonwealth's Chief Workforce Development Officer on opportunities to advance the Commonwealth's workforce goals, including furtherance of apprenticeship and other workforce training programs to develop the local workforce, and give priority to the hiring of local workers; (vii) requires each utility to include, and the Commission to consider, in any application to construct a new generating facility the social cost of carbon as a cost adder; (viii) removes provisions that authorize nuclear and offshore wind generating facilities to continue to be eligible for an enhanced rate of return on common equity during the construction phase of the facility and the approved first portion of its service life of between 12 and 25 years in the case of a facility utilizing nuclear power and for a service life of between 5 and 15 years in the case of a facility utilizing energy derived from offshore wind; (ix) removes a provision that declares that planning and development activities for new nuclear generation facilities are in the public interest; (x) removes the limit of 16 megawatts on those offshore wind generation facilities that are declared to be in the public interest; (xi) amends the net energy metering program by increasing the maximum capacity of renewable generation facilities of participating nonresidential eligible customer-generators from one to three megawatts, increases the cap on the capacity of generation from facilities from the customer's expected annual energy consumption to 150 percent of such amount, increases each utility's systemwide cap from one percent of its adjusted Virginia peak-load forecast for the previous year to 10 percent of such amount, eliminates the ability of a utility to assess standby charges, and establishes the right to finance electrical generating facilities via leases and power purchase agreements; (xii) removes the ability of utilities in triennial rate reviews to attribute to test periods under review the booked costs of early retirement determinations made by the utility for utility generation facilities fueled by coal, natural gas, or oil; (xiii) directs the State Air Pollution Control Board (the Board) to report to the General Assembly by January 1, 2021, on how to achieve 100 percent carbon free electric energy generation by 2050 and whether the General Assembly should permanently repeal the ability to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity for electric generating units that emit carbon as a byproduct of combusting fuel to generate electricity; (xiv) bars the Commission from issuing a certificate for public convenience and necessity for any investor-owned utility to own, operate, or construct any electric generating unit that emits carbon as a byproduct of combusting fuel to generate electricity until the General Assembly receives the Board's report; (xv) directs the Board to adopt regulations establishing a carbon dioxide cap and trade program to limit and reduce the total carbon dioxide emissions released by electric generation facilities, which regulations shall comply with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative model rule; (xvi) exempts certain pilot programs from the requirements that an energy efficiency program be in the public interest; (xvii) establishes requirements regarding the development by Dominion Energy Virginia of qualified offshore wind projects having an aggregate rated capacity of not less than 5,200 megawatts by January 1, 2034; (xviii) directs the Board to adopt a regulation to reduce, for the period of 2031 to 2050, the carbon dioxide emissions from any electricity generating unit in the Commonwealth that serves an electricity generator with a nameplate capacity equal to or greater than 25 megawatts that supplies 10 percent or more of its annual net electrical generation to the electric grid or more than 15 percent of its annual total useful energy to any entity other than the manufacturing facility to which the generating source is interconnected; (xix) establishes a shared solar program that allows customers to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility; (xx) repeals the Manufacturing and Commercial Competitiveness Retention Credit that allows certain large nonresidential customers that enter into a three-year minimum exclusive supply agreement to receive a two percent reduction in their base generation charges; (xxi) repeals the authorization for certain third-party power purchase agreements; and (xxii) requires the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to prepare a report to the House and Senate Committees on Commerce and Labor and to the Governor's Advisory Council on Environmental Justice that ensures that the implementation of this act does not impose a disproportionate burden on minority or historically disadvantaged communities.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 10.1-1308, 56-576, 56-577, 56-585.1, 56-585.2, 56-594, and 56-596.2 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 56-585.1:11; and to repeal Chapters 358 and 382 of the Acts of Assembly of 2013, as amended by Chapter 803 of the Acts of Assembly of 2017, and the eleventh enactment of Chapter 296 of the Acts of Assembly of 2018, relating to the regulation of electric utilities; ending carbon dioxide emissions; renewable portfolio standards for electric utilities and suppliers; energy efficiency programs and standards; incremental annual energy storage deployment targets; net energy metering; third-party power purchase agreements; and the Manufacturing and Commercial Competitiveness Retention Credit.20105040D
Patron: Mason
Electric utilities; offshore wind development. Provides that, prior to January 1, 2034, (i) the construction or purchase by an electric utility of one or more offshore wind generation facilities located in federal waters that interconnect directly into the Commonwealth or into the Delmarva Peninsula, having in the aggregate a rated capacity of at least 5,200 megawatts, or (ii) the purchase by an electric utility of energy, capacity, and environmental attributes from offshore wind generation facilities described in clause (i) owned by persons other than an electric utility is in the public interest.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 56-585.1:11, relating to electric utilities; development of off-shore wind.20103960D
Patron: Marsden
Electric utility regulation; clean energy standard. Replaces the voluntary renewable energy portfolio standard program with a mandatory clean energy standard (CES) program that sets requirements for all investor-owned electric utilities and cooperative electric utilities. The CES program requires 30 percent of the total electric energy sold by each utility in 2030 to be clean energy, which is defined as electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide or generated by a natural gas-fired facility with 80 percent carbon capture or a coal-fired facility with 90 percent carbon capture. The CES Goals increase incrementally in future years until 2050 and thereafter, by which time 100 percent of the electric energy sold is required to be clean energy. The measure requires a utility that fails to meet a CES Goal to pay a compliance payment. The measure also requires each electric utility (i) to include a clean energy plan in each of its integrated resource plans and (ii) by January 1, 2030, to decommission all of its coal-fired electric generation facilities.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 56-585.1, 56-585.2, 56-594, and 56-594.2 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 56 a chapter numbered 29, consisting of sections numbered 56-614 through 56-617, relating to the generation of electricity from sources that do not emit carbon dioxide; clean energy standard.20104098D
Patron: Bell
Electric utilities; retail competition; renewable energy. Allows individual retail customers of an electric utility to purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energy from any licensed supplier. The measure eliminates (i) provisions that prohibit such a purchase from a licensed supplier that is an incumbent electric utility that is not the incumbent electric utility serving the exclusive service territory in which the customer is located and (ii) a condition that permits such purchases only if the electric utility serving the applicable exclusive service territory does not offer a tariff for 100 percent renewable energy.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-577 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utilities; retail competition; renewable energy.20104534D
Patron: Lucas
Electric utilities; electric school bus projects. Authorizes Dominion Energy Virginia to implement projects designed to encourage the proliferation of school buses that are fueled in whole or in part by electricity, along with associated charging and other infrastructure, for the purpose of transporting students and that may also serve as electric grid stabilization or peak shaving resources. Under an electric school bus project, Dominion may (i) purchase, own, manage, or control electric school buses, along with associated charging or other infrastructure; (ii) enter into third-party agreements for the purchase, lease, or use of electric school buses, along with associated charging or other infrastructure; (iii) enter into agreements with any the school board of any public school division located in the Commonwealth for joint ownership of or for leasing on commercially competitive terms of electric school buses, along with associated charging or other infrastructure; (iv) provide financial incentives or rebates to any school board to promote or facilitate the purchase and ownership by such public school board of electric school buses, along with associated charging or other infrastructure; and (v) engage in other activities to promote the development and proliferation of electric school bus transportation in the Commonwealth. The bill also provides a tax exemption for electric school buses and associated charging and other infrastructure that is related or incidental to an authorized electric school bus project.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 58.1-3660 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 56-585.1:11, relating to electric utilities; electric school bus projects.20105634D
Patron: Lucas
Offshore wind generation facilities. Requires the State Corporation Commission to allow Dominion Energy Virginia to recover all costs of certain utility-owned and utility-operated offshore wind generating facilities, including associated transmission and distribution facilities, and declares that these costs are reasonable and prudently incurred, if the utility (i) has commenced construction of such facilities for U.S. income taxation purposes prior to January 1, 2024, or has a plan for such facility or facilities to be in service prior to January 1, 2028, and (ii) demonstrates that it has utilized reasonable efforts to competitively solicit the majority of services and equipment associated with any such facility's construction, giving appropriate consideration to suppliers that have demonstrated successful experience on an offshore wind test or demonstration project off the Commonwealth's Atlantic shoreline. The measure provides that such costs shall be allocated to all customers of the utility in the Commonwealth as a non-bypassable charge, irrespective of the generation supplier of any such customer. The measure requires the utility to (a) identify options for utilizing local workers, (b) consult with the Chief Workforce Development Officer, and (c) give priority to hiring local workers.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-585.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the development of offshore wind generation capacity in the Commonwealth.20105323D