Virginians Deserve Clean, Reliable, Affordable Energy

Not a governor taking the state backwards

• Why It Matters

  Since he was inaugurated in 2022, Governor Youngkin has been dead set on dismantling Virginia’s flagship clean energy policy, the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). So, we really shouldn’t be surprised that last week, he spent the final moments of his designated window to sign or amend legislation passed by the General Assembly this year trying to gut key clean energy proposals.

  However, his actions ARE surprising when you consider the following:

  People across the country feel overburdened by the cost of everything from groceries to their energy bills.

  Extreme weather is becoming the new normal thanks to climate change.

  Virginia, like many other states, is expected to see a rapidly increasing need for energy over the next decade.

  With this knowledge, leaders in the Virginia General Assembly set forward several pieces of legislation to promote grid reliability and resilience and to lower energy bills.

  HB 2346 would have created a voluntary program for virtual power plants (VPPs) – the term for a network of small energy-generating devices that you may have (like solar panels, electric vehicles, or battery storage). By allowing these resources to coordinate, we can keep the lights on during moments of strain on the grid, lower overall energy bills, and ensure homeowners are compensated for the benefits their solar panels and EVs bring to the energy system. The governor amended this bill to create a study instead, with no guarantee of implementation. This means that Virginians lose out on the many benefits of VPPs.

  One of the clearest attempts to dismantle the VCEA came in HB 2537 which the governor amended to delay VCEA goals.

  Governor Youngkin had an opportunity to lead by signing these thoughtful and deliberate pieces of legislation as passed. Instead, he chose to play partisan politics. Especially with growing uncertainty at the federal level, Virginians deserve leaders who are proactively working to address the big issues like climate change, load growth, and high energy bills. Governor Youngkin has simply missed the mark.

• What’s the Solution?

  The state legislature is now meeting to discuss Gov. Youngkin’s vetoes and changes to determine if they will override the governor.

• What Can I Do?

  Email your state legislators today to ask them to vote and override Youngkin’s anti-clean energy amendments!