# Virginia HB1191: Electric substation construction agreements; "electric cooperatives" or "cooperative," definitions.

Virginia HB1191, Electric substation construction agreements; "electric cooperatives" or "cooperative," definitions., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Irene Shin (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-03-31 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0021)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1191-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1191
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Electric substation construction agreements; "electric cooperatives" or "cooperative," definitions.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-03-31, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0021)
- Sponsor: Irene Shin (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (320 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

Utility consumer services cooperatives; substation construction agreements. Permits an electric cooperative to enter into an agreement to construct a substation with a member receiving regulated electric service, with an electric demand of at least 20 megawatts during the most recent calendar year, that requires a point of interconnection with a transmission line system of 230 kilovolts or more. The bill provides that, upon final completion of a substation constructed under such an agreement, the member shall transfer ownership of such substation to the cooperative for the cooperative to operate and maintain at the member's sole expense. Under the bill, the costs of acquisition, operation, or maintenance of such a substation shall be excluded from the cooperative's general and base rates and shall not be recovered from any other ratepayer. This bill is identical to SB 377.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- High-demand cooperative members can build substations: mixed, high. If your business is a cooperative member and used at least 20 megawatts last year, you can enter a substation construction deal. The substation must connect to a 230 kilovolt or higher transmission line and serve only your facilities. You pay all construction costs and the work must meet laws, reli…
- Other customers shielded from substation costs: mixed, medium. After final completion, the member transfers the substation to the cooperative by donation or agreed payment. The cooperative runs and maintains it, but charges the member alone for all operation and maintenance under its rates. The Commission keeps these costs out of general and base rates, and ot…
- Timelines and Commission help for substations: mixed, medium. You and the cooperative must negotiate in good faith. If the cooperative does not negotiate or send a draft within 120 days after your written request, you may petition the Commission. The Commission hears the case within three months if needed and issues an order within six months. You must pay a…
- Definitions and exemptions for these agreements: mixed, low. The law defines who counts as an electric cooperative and who counts as a member for these substation deals. It also exempts these agreements and acquisitions from Chapters 5 and 10.1 of Title 56.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Irene Shin (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2026-03-31: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0021) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Approved by Governor-Chapter 21 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1191) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1191ER) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-03: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-26: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Reported from Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1191) (House)
- 2026-02-12: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-10: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26106908D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-05: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-03: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-03: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1191) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105397D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-03-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214848.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214847.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187115.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187114.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132107.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132106.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116071.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116070.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115598.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115597.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087689.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087688.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214848.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214847.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187115.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187114.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132107.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132106.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116071.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116070.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115598.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115597.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087689.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087688.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1191-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).