Conservatives for Clean Energy Virginia Hosts 9th Annual Legislative Reception
February 25, 2026 | Richmond, Virginia
Conservatives for Clean Energy Virginia (CCE-VA) hosted its 9th Annual Legislative Reception on February 25, 2026, at Echelon in Richmond. As a marquee event of the organization, the reception brought together members of the General Assembly and local elected officials from both political parties for an evening focused on advancing sound, secure, and bipartisan energy policy in the Commonwealth. This year’s event centered on three guiding principles: advancing an “all-of-the-above” approach to clean energy, recognizing energy as a matter of national security, and reinforcing that responsible energy policy is fundamentally bipartisan.
CCE-VA presented its 2026 Clean Energy Legislative Champion Award to Delegate Delores Oates (R-31) for her leadership in expanding access to clean energy for Virginians. After a constituent approached her office seeking the ability to install balcony solar at their apartment, Delegate Oates took action. She worked across the aisle with Delegate Mark Krizek (D-16) to become the Chief Co-Patron of HB 395, legislation that supports the right to balcony solar and broadens access to clean energy—particularly for renters in apartment communities across the Commonwealth. In her remarks, Delegate Oates emphasized that energy policy is not a partisan issue but a national security priority. She underscored the importance of ensuring that the United States remains ahead of global adversaries in developing and deploying all forms of energy to protect sovereignty and economic strength. Her remarks emphasized how Virginia can help play a crucial role in this strategy.
CCE-VA also recognized the City of Chesapeake as the 2026 Local Government Clean Energy Champion. In 2025, under the leadership of Mayor Richard West and the conservative-majority City Council, Chesapeake demonstrated strong support for energy innovation and economic development. The city defended federal energy tax credits, advanced battery storage and solar initiatives, and secured LS GreenLink—an investment that will create jobs while strengthening Virginia’s growing offshore wind supply chain in the Hampton Roads region. The award was accepted on behalf of the city by Chesapeake City Councilman Jeff Bunn (R-AT Large).
As CCE-VA enters its ninth year, State Director Thomas Turner challenged attendees to remain committed to an all-of-the-above energy strategy that meets growing demand while strengthening national security. He emphasized that Virginia must continue to advance nuclear energy, defend and expand offshore wind, and ensure that every viable energy resource is leveraged to power the Commonwealth and the nation. The evening concluded with a clear message: conservative clean energy leadership is bipartisan, solutions-oriented, and essential to Virginia’s economic growth and energy independence.