VirginiaElectric utilities; energy storage requirements, Department of Energy to develop model ordinance.
What it does
Electric utilities; energy storage resources; Department of Energy to develop model ordinances; State Corporation Commission to conduct technology demonstration program. Increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are required to petition the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) for approval to construct, acquire, or procure and extends the time frame by which such capacity must be met. Under the bill, (i) Appalachian Power shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 780 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2040 and 520 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and (ii) Dominion Energy Virginia shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 16,000 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and 4,000 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045.
More detail
"Long-duration energy storage" and "short-duration energy storage" are defined in the bill. Under the bill, the Commission shall approve an independent auditor to help develop criteria for and to help review requests for proposals for new energy storage resources. The bill requires the Commission to conduct a technology demonstration program for long-duration energy storage resources and initiate a proceeding to determine if such technology is viable and that the targets in the bill are reasonably achievable, for which a final order shall be entered no later than March 1, 2031. Certain provisions of the bill are only effective upon such determination by the Commission. The bill requires the Department of Energy, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Fire Programs, to develop model ordinances suggested for use by localities in their regulation of energy storage projects by December 1, 2026. The bill directs the Commission to initiate a technical conference by September 1, 2026, to evaluate safety standards and practices for energy storage development. The bill also includes a provision authorizing the Commission to evaluate energy storage project proposals during annual petitions filed for the development of new renewable generation capacity. This bill is identical to HB 895.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 695 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Apr 2Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB448)
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB448ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 12House substitute agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded Concur House Substitute R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 11Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB448)
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Passed House with substitute (66-Y 33-N 0-A)Passed House
- Mar 11Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 11Delegate Wilt Floor amendment passed by (64-Y 35-N 0-A)
- Mar 11committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Mar 11Read third timeMinor
- Mar 10Floor offered Delegate Wilt Amendment
- Mar 10Passed by for the day
- Mar 9Read second timeMinor
- Mar 5Committee substitute printed 26109068D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 5Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (15-Y 6-N)Minor
- Mar 3Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 1-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 3House subcommittee offered
- Feb 27Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3Minor
- Feb 19Referred to Committee on Labor and CommerceMinor
- Feb 19Read first timeMinor
- Feb 19Placed on Calendar
- Feb 18Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB448)
- Feb 16Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 13Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 13Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 13Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)
- Feb 13Read second timeMinor
- Feb 13Committee substitute printed 26107847D-S2Major
- Feb 12Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 12Rules suspended
- Feb 11Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (12-Y 3-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 10Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB448)
- Feb 10Committee substitute printed 26107447D-S1Major
- Feb 9Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 9Senate committee offered
- Jan 13Referred to Committee on Commerce and LaborMinor
- Jan 13Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105446DIntroduced