Bill > HB889

This bill establishes a policy for the Commonwealth of Virginia regarding the placement of new electric transmission facilities, specifically high-voltage transmission lines of 138 kilovolts or more, prioritizing the use of existing infrastructure corridors over the creation of new ones. The order of preference for choosing a route or corridor is to first consider existing utility corridors, then highway corridors, and finally, if neither of those are feasible, new corridors, provided these choices are economically and technically sound, ensure the reliability of the electric grid, and protect cultural, historical, and environmental resources. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Transportation to assemble a work group, including representatives from the State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Utility Coordinating Committee, to find ways to improve regulations and permitting processes to make it easier and faster to build new electrical transmission infrastructure within existing state highway rights-of-way, with a report of their findings due by November 1, 2026.

Business and Industry

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB889