Bill
Bill > HB155
summary
Introduced
01/06/2026
01/06/2026
In Committee
01/06/2026
01/06/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Electric utilities; certificate of operation for high-load facilities. Prohibits any person from operating a high-load facility, defined in the bill as a facility whose electricity demand exceeds 25 megawatts that was not operating before July 1, 2026, without first having obtained a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission. The bill includes factors for the Commission to consider in reviewing a petition to operate a high-load facility. The bill establishes a presumption that a high-load facility shall be considered to have met certain requirements if the high-load facility has secured sufficient contracts for energy storage resources or zero-carbon electric generating resources or that the high-load facility has a plan to implement sufficient demand reduction measures. The bill also requires the Commission to consider certain factors in a review of a petition for a certificate to operate a high-load facility, including whether there is sufficient energy, capacity, and grid infrastructure to support the operation of the high-load facility and whether the operation of the high-load facility would create an unreasonable cross-subsidy across customers served by the incumbent electric utility.
AI Summary
This bill requires any new "high-load facility," defined as a facility with an electricity demand exceeding 25 megawatts that begins operation after July 1, 2026, to obtain a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission (SCC). The SCC will consider several factors when reviewing a facility's application, including its impact on customer rates, the reliability of electric service, the incumbent electric utility's ability to meet energy and environmental laws, consistency with the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy, and whether it would create an unfair financial burden on other customers. The bill establishes a presumption that a facility meets certain requirements if it has secured contracts for energy storage or zero-carbon electricity generation, or if it has a plan for demand reduction measures like energy efficiency or load shedding. The SCC is also directed to consider environmental and public health impacts, public notice, grid infrastructure capacity, cumulative impacts of multiple facilities, and economic development contributions. This new requirement will take precedence over other conflicting laws, and the SCC is authorized to create rules to implement these provisions.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Left in Labor and Commerce (on 02/18/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB155 |
| Labor and Commerce Amendment | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB155/text/HB155AHC1 |
| Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB155) | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103889.PDF |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB155/text/HB155 |
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