Energy

Electric utilities; small portable solar generation devices; local regulation; installation by tenants; consumer protection. Prevents a locality from prohibiting the use of a small portable solar generation device, as defined in the bill, on a residential structure, provided that certain requirements are met. The bill includes provisions related to the installation of small portable solar generation devices by tenants and prevents landlords from prohibiting such installation in certain circumstances. Under the bill, small portable solar generation devices are excluded from the provisions of net metering programs applicable to eligible agricultural customer-generators, eligible customer-generators, or small agricultural generating facilities. The bill also permits any electric utility customer to own and operate a small portable solar generation device, provided that certain requirements are met. The bill prohibits an investor-owned utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative from imposing interconnection requirements, charging any fee related to the device, or requiring that the customer obtain the utility's approval before installing or using the device. Under the bill, no electric utility, municipal utility, electric cooperative shall be liable for damage or injury caused by a small portable solar generation device. The bill directs the State Corporation Commission to develop and publish a notification form for a customer of an electric utility or cooperative to install a small portable solar generation device and directs the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to convene a work group to evaluate and develop recommendations regarding the safety standards and requirements applicable to small portable solar generation devices. Certain provisions of the bill become effective on January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 395.

Electric utilities; small portable solar generation devices; local regulation; installation by tenants; consumer protection. Prevents a locality from prohibiting the use of a small portable solar generation device, as defined in the bill, on a residential structure, provided that certain requirements are met. The bill includes provisions related to the installation of small portable solar generation devices by tenants and prevents landlords from prohibiting such installation in certain circumstances. Under the bill, small portable solar generation devices are excluded from the provisions of net metering programs applicable to eligible agricultural customer-generators, eligible customer-generators, or small agricultural generating facilities. The bill also permits any electric utility customer to own and operate a small portable solar generation device, provided that certain requirements are met. The bill prohibits an investor-owned utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative from imposing interconnection requirements, charging any fee related to the device, or requiring that the customer obtain the utility's approval before installing or using the device. Under the bill, no electric utility, municipal utility, electric cooperative shall be liable for damage or injury caused by a small portable solar generation device. The bill directs the State Corporation Commission to develop and publish a notification form for a customer of an electric utility or cooperative to install a small portable solar generation device and directs the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to convene a work group to evaluate and develop recommendations regarding the safety standards and requirements applicable to small portable solar generation devices. Certain provisions of the bill become effective on January 1, 2027. This bill incorporates HB 289 and HB 928 and is identical to SB 250.

Electric utilities; high energy demand customers; demand flexibility programs; reports. Directs Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to file a petition with the State Corporation Commission by January 15, 2027, for approval of voluntary demand flexibility programs that apply to high energy demand customers, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commission to consider all forms of demand flexibility and other specific factors in approving each such program. The bill directs each cooperative that serves one or more high energy demand customers to establish a voluntary demand flexibility program for such customers by January 1, 2029. Under the bill, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power are required to file status reports on their demand flexibility programs with the Commission three years after initial program approval and every three years thereafter. Additionally, in 2028 and annually thereafter, the Commission is required to submit information summarizing the status and performance of such programs as part of an existing report. This bill is identical to HB 284.

Electric utilities; high energy demand customers; demand flexibility programs; reports. Directs Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to file a petition with the State Corporation Commission by January 15, 2027, for approval of voluntary demand flexibility programs that apply to high energy demand customers, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commission to consider all forms of demand flexibility and other specific factors in approving each such program. The bill directs each cooperative that serves one or more high energy demand customers to establish a voluntary demand flexibility program for such customers by January 1, 2029. Under the bill, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power are required to file status reports on their demand flexibility programs with the Commission three years after initial program approval and every three years thereafter. Additionally, in 2028 and annually thereafter, the Commission is required to submit information summarizing the status and performance of such programs as part of an existing report. This bill is identical to SB 371.

Remediated Mine Gas Grant Program established; report. Directs the Department of Energy to establish the Remediated Mine Gas Grant Program to assist projects in the Commonwealth with capture and sequestration of remediated mine gas. The bill requires (i) the Department to award grants for the Program to taxpayers on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, and (ii) grant recipients to submit a report to the Department by October 1 of any year in which funds are made available for the Program. The bill also directs the Department to submit a report summarizing the information received from grant recipients to relevant committees of the General Assembly by January 1 after any year in which funds are made available for the Program.

Transformer Manufacturing Expansion Grant Fund. Establishes the Transformer Manufacturing Expansion Grant Fund to provide grant installment awards between July 1, 2027, and July 1, 2041, in an amount not to exceed $5.1 million per fiscal year and in an aggregate amount not to exceed $60 million, to a qualified company that (i) engages in the manufacture of electrical transformers, (ii) executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth, and (iii) is expected to make a capital investment of at least $301 million and create and maintain at least 1,185 new full-time jobs.

Transformer Manufacturing Expansion Grant Fund. Establishes the Transformer Manufacturing Expansion Grant Fund to provide grant installment awards between July 1, 2027, and July 1, 2041, in an amount not to exceed $5.1 million per fiscal year and in an aggregate amount not to exceed $60 million, to a qualified company that (i) engages in the manufacture of electrical transformers, (ii) executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth, and (iii) is expected to make a capital investment of at least $301 million and create and maintain at least 1,185 new full-time jobs. This bill is identical to SB 836.

Utility consumer services cooperatives; substation construction agreements. Permits an electric cooperative to enter into an agreement to construct a substation with a member receiving regulated electric service, with an electric demand of at least 20 megawatts during the most recent calendar year, that requires a point of interconnection with a transmission line system of 230 kilovolts or more. The bill provides that, upon final completion of a substation constructed under such an agreement, the member shall transfer ownership of such substation to the cooperative for the cooperative to operate and maintain at the member's sole expense. Under the bill, the costs of acquisition, operation, or maintenance of such a substation shall be excluded from the cooperative's general and base rates and shall not be recovered from any other ratepayer. This bill is identical to SB 377.

Electric utilities; virtual power plant program; electric cooperatives. Authorizes electric cooperatives to establish and implement a virtual power plant program. The bill defines a virtual power plant as an aggregation of distributed energy resources, enrolled either directly with an electric cooperative or indirectly through an aggregator, that are operated in coordination to provide one or more grid services. Under the bill, an electric cooperative may offer incentives to residential customers to purchase battery storage devices and is required to evaluate various methods to optimize demand. This bill is identical to SB 487.

Establishing a resilience hub pilot program to assist vulnerable communities during emergency situations. Directs the Department of Emergency Management to establish a two-year resilience hub pilot program to assist vulnerable communities during emergency situations. The bill defines a "resilience hub" as a simple combination of solar panels and batteries that ensures continuous power to a publicly accessible building when severe weather events or other grid disruptions cause an electrical outage.