Virginia Governor's Energy Plan Includes Proposals For Certain Forms Of Retail Energy Choice

A 2022 Virginia Energy Plan released by Gov. Glenn Youngkin on behalf of the state's Department of Energy includes proposals for certain forms of energy choice in the electric industry, "while maintaining Virginia’s existing utility model."

Specifically, the 2022 Virginia Energy Plan includes the following recommendations:

• "Convene a workgroup to recommend a plan to increase the opportunity for 100% renewable competitive service providers to participate in the marketplace and open Virginia’s energy markets to independent power producers while maintaining Virginia’s existing utility model."

• "Convene a workgroup to recommend plans to remove barriers to industrial and commercial customers being able to aggregate energy loads and purchase power from a competitive service provider."

• "Remove barriers to distributed generation, including shared solar, and increase the ability of Virginians to install power resources on their property."

• "Open select projects to competitive bids by independent power producers, including new solar and offshore wind projects."

"There are several important benefits to Virginia’s regulated monopoly model, but current policy unnecessarily restricts certain projects from competition in the energy market. Both businesses and residential customers, enthusiastic about installing their own solar and wind generation units or purchasing electricity from competitive service providers, are overly burdened by regulations that prevent them from exercising even limited energy choice. By exploring ways to offer customers more choice within the regulated electricity market, Virginia may be able to lower consumer rates and attract businesses that wish to directly match generation with their energy portfolio preferences," the plan states