Legislative Summary General Assembly Session 2026
Introduction
Through the snow and never-ending ice, and despite the challenges that often come with shifting political dynamics, Conservatives for Clean Energy remained actively engaged and effective during the legislative session. With an expanded Democratic majority in both chambers, the organization leaned into collaboration rather than division, working closely with a broad and diverse coalition of stakeholders from across the political spectrum. This included lawmakers, industry leaders, advocacy groups, and community organizations, all united by a shared interest in advancing practical, forward-looking energy solutions.
Together, these partnerships helped advance numerous pieces of legislation to expand access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy. Key measures focused on strengthening grid infrastructure, improving energy resilience, and creating new investment and innovation opportunities in the clean energy sector. These efforts are expected to benefit both consumers and businesses by increasing energy choice, enhancing reliability, and supporting long-term economic growth.
In addition to the bills that were ultimately passed, Conservatives for Clean Energy also closely monitored and engaged with several other legislative proposals that could have significant implications for consumers and the energy industry. By staying involved throughout the process—whether through advocacy, analysis, or direct engagement with policymakers—the organization ensured that its coalition’s perspectives were represented and that potential impacts were carefully considered as the legislative landscape continued to evolve.
Legislative updates
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- SB382/HB590 Surovell/Hernandez: Smart Solar Permitting Platform established for residential solar energy systems. Smart Solar Permitting Platform established; residential solar energy systems; work group; report. Creates the Smart Solar Permitting Platform (the Platform) to serve as a tool for (i) contractors to obtain permits for the construction of streamline-eligible residential solar energy systems and (ii) localities to process applications for such permits. The bill requires the Department of Energy to establish, launch, and administer the Platform by July 1, 2027, as an internet-based platform that automates plan review and instantly releases a permit or a permit revision to construct certain residential solar energy systems that comply with any applicable building codes and state laws. The bill requires localities to allow contractors to submit an application to construct a residential solar energy system through the Platform or through an alternative automated solar permitting platform by July 1, 2028. The bill requires any locality that chooses to use an alternative automated solar permitting platform to submit an annual report to the Department no later than March 1 of each year. The bill directs the Director of the Department to convene a work group to determine the appropriateness of adding a surcharge to local government permitting fees to defray state costs for the Platform and to report its findings to the General Assembly on or before November 1, 2026. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB 659/ HB683 Craig/Herring: Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program established; report; sunset. Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. The Program is administered by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy. The bill requires that priority be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites and requires the Division to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding of grants, as well as the general requirements of the Program. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027, and, as introduced, was a Commission on Electric Utility Regulation recommendation. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB255/HB808 Surovell/Sullivan: Electric utilities; shared solar programs; Phase I Utility. Amends certain provisions related to the shared solar program established by the State Corporation Commission for Appalachian Power Company. The bill permits excess bill credits to be distributed to shared solar subscribers more than once annually. The bill also requires the utility in administering its shared solar program to require net crediting functionality for customer utility bills, as described in the bill.The bill also directs Appalachian Power to (i) release an additional 50 megawatts as part two of the shared solar program on July 1, 2026; (ii) release a further additional 50 megawatts as part three of the shared solar program by January 1, 2028; and (iii) petition the Commission to initiate a shared solar expansion proceeding to determine the capacity for part four of the shared solar program by May 1, 2029. See final enactments for bill effective date. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB 254/HB807 Surovell/Sullivan: Electric utilities; shared solar programs; Phase II Utility. Amends certain provisions related to the shared solar program established by the State Corporation Commission for Dominion Energy Virginia. Under the bill, Dominion Energy Virginia is authorized to release an additional 525 megawatts of capacity as part two of such program upon the earlier of (i) a determination that at least 90 percent of the aggregate program capacity has been subscribed and project construction is substantially complete or (ii) July 1, 2026. The bill directs Dominion Energy Virginia to petition the Commission to initiate a proceeding to determine the capacity for part three of such program on or before part two of such program is substantially complete for 268 megawatts of capacity. The bill directs the Commission to evaluate the costs and benefits of the shared solar program under such proceeding and to consider the results of such proceeding in determining any future allocations of shared solar capacity and changes in program design. The bill directs the Commission to update its regulations on shared solar programs to comply with the bill’s provisions by December 31, 2026, and to require each participating utility to file any tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary to implement such programs by March 1, 2027. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB256/HB672 McPike/Maldonado: Appliance minimum energy and water conservation standards; manufacturers’ requirements. Minimum energy and water conservation standards; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning facilities and home appliances; Department of Energy; prohibited practices; penalty. Provides that if any product or product categories under the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (the EPCA) are removed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy or the federal government, the Department of Energy shall adopt energy or water conservation standards that shall be equivalent to the last applicable federal standards with a product compliance date of on or before December 31, 2025. The bill prohibits any such new products from being sold, offered for sale, leased, or rented in the Commonwealth unless such products meet or exceed such standards. The bill excludes any energy or water conservation standards set aside by a court, and any product if federal law preempts the application of the minimum energy and water conservation standards to such a product, including any product or product category for which there is a requirement to develop a standard under the EPCA. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB508/HB 1065 VanValkenburg/ Hernandez: Electric utilities; surplus interconnection service sites. Directs Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia to undertake a comprehensive assessment of available interconnection capacity at each such utility’s existing and planned intermittent electric generation facilities located in the Commonwealth. The bill directs such utilities to establish pilot programs for energy storage resources and solar generation facilities that utilize surplus interconnection service, as defined in the bill, including the issuance of a request for proposals. The bill requires such utilities to submit the results of such requests for proposals as part of their 2027 plans and petitions for approval to develop new solar and onshore wind generation capacity, which plans are required under existing law. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB621/HB434 Srinivasen/Bolling: Electric utilities; electric grid utilization metrics; State Corporation Commission. Phase I and Phase II Utilities; electric grid utilization metrics. Requires Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval of grid utilization metrics by October 15, 2026, which petition may be consolidated with the integrated resource plan filing for Dominion Energy in 2026. Under the bill, the petition shall include certain assessments comparing current electric grid system performance with optimal utilization of existing electric grid assets. The bill also requires the Commission to include in an existing annual report its findings on each applicable utility’s assessment of relevant grid utilization metrics, which shall include an analysis of the potential for each applicable utility to increase electric grid utilization through the deployment of non-wires alternatives. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB497/HB889 Perry/Shin: Policy of the Commonwealth; siting of certain new electric transmission facilities; Department of Transportation work group; report. Provides that in the siting of new electric transmission facilities, it is the policy of the Commonwealth that existing linear infrastructure corridors shall be prioritized over new corridors. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to convene a work group to identify opportunities and develop recommendations to amend regulations and permitting processes to facilitate the expedient and efficient siting of new electrical transmission infrastructure in existing state highway rights-of-way. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- SB250/HB395 Krizek/Surovell: 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, or electric cooperative shall be liable for damage or injury caused by a small portable solar generation device. This bill incorporates HB 289 and HB 928. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk. Note: The Chief Co-Patron is Delegate Deloris Oates, who was CCE-VA 2026 Legislative Champion for her work on this legislation
- SB621/HB434 Srinivasan/Bolling: Phase I and Phase II Utilities; electric grid utilization metrics. Requires Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to petition the State Corporation Commission by November 1, 2026, for approval of electric grid utilization metrics and directs the Commission to issue its final order regarding such petition by July 1, 2027. The bill also requires the Commission, in issuing such a final order, to analyze and report on the potential for each applicable utility to increase electric grid utilization through the deployment of non-wires alternatives. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk
- HB562/SB487 Reid/McPike: 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 utility 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. Passed, and is on the Governor’s Desk HB1133 Reid Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program; established. Department of Energy; Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program and tax credit; solar energy and battery energy storage projects. Establishes the Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program, to be administered by the Department of Energy for the purpose of (i) coordinating and supporting the development of solar energy and short duration battery energy storage industries and projects by other public or private entities; (ii) evaluating and approving solar energy and short duration battery energy storage projects as qualified projects for the purposes of the tax credit established by the bill; and (iii) determining which items and services are considered eligible project costs for a given qualified project, as defined in the bill. Continued to 2027
- HB114 Ware Electric utility infrastructure; Dept of Energy and SCC to conduct an analysis, report State Corporation Commission; electric utility infrastructure; report. Directs the Department of Energy (the Department) and the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to conduct a comprehensive analysis of existing electric utility infrastructure to identify cost-saving opportunities that improve or preserve electric system reliability as an alternative or supplement to greenfield infrastructure projects. The bill requires the Department and the Commission to complete their analysis and submit a report to the General Assembly no later than July 1, 2027. Continued to 2027
Concluding Thoughts
This legislative session marked a strong and meaningful period for Conservatives for Clean Energy (CCE-VA), building on continued momentum and credibility in Virginia’s energy policy space. In addition to advancing key priorities, Legislative Success Director Thomas Turner was reconfirmed to the Clean Energy Advisory Board, where he continues to serve as Chair. His reconfirmation reflects both the trust in his leadership and the growing recognition that conservative voices play a vital role in shaping practical, forward-looking energy solutions.
This success underscores an important point: as conservatives, we do not have to abandon or compromise our principles to engage in the clean energy conversation. In fact, our commitment to innovation, market-driven solutions, energy independence, and responsible stewardship positions us to lead. The “all-of-the-above” approach to energy—embracing renewables, nuclear, and traditional sources alike—demonstrates that reliability, affordability, and environmental progress are not mutually exclusive, but mutually reinforcing.
CCE-VA’s work this session highlights how conservative leadership can help drive balanced, commonsense energy policy that strengthens both our economy and our energy future.