# Virginia HB2537: Energy storage requirements; Department of Energy, et al., to develop model ordinances, reports.

Virginia HB2537, Energy storage requirements; Department of Energy, et al., to develop model ordinances, reports., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-05-02 (Vetoed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2537-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB2537
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Energy storage requirements; Department of Energy, et al., to develop model ordinances, reports.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-09
- Last action: 2025-05-02, Vetoed by Governor
- Sponsor: Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (261 yes, 169 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Electric utilities; energy storage requirements; Department of Energy and Department of Environmental Quality to develop model ordinances; work groups; reports. Increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are required to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure and extends the time frame by which such capacity must be met. Under the bill, (i) Appalachian Power shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 780 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2040 and 520 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and (ii) Dominion Energy Virginia shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 5,220 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and 3,480 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045. "Long-duration energy storage" and "short-duration energy storage" are defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commission to conduct a technology demonstration program for long-duration energy storage resources and initiate a proceeding to determine if such technology is viable and that the targets in the bill are reasonably achievable, for which a final order shall be entered no later than March 1, 2030. Certain provisions of the bill are only effective upon such determination by the Commission.The bill requires the Department of Energy, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Fire Programs, to create model ordinances for use by localities in their regulation of energy storage projects and to convene a work group to develop such model ordinances and submit a report by December 1, 2025. The bill directs the Department of Energy and the Department of Environmental Quality to convene a work group to develop recommendations and financial incentives related to the development of long-duration energy storage projects and submit a report by December 1, 2025. The bill also directs the Department of Energy to engage with PJM Interconnection, LLC, in reviewing regional market conditions related to energy storage resources and permits Dominion Energy Virginia to propose a partnership with institutions of higher education to deploy energy storage resources. This bill is identical to SB 1394.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-02 | House | House rejected Governor's recommendation | fail | 47 | 49 |   |
| 2025-02-20 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 56 | 40 |   |
| 2025-02-20 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 20 | 19 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 4 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 54 | 44 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 17 | 5 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 2 | 1 |

## Actions (41)

- 2025-05-02: Vetoed by Governor (Governor)
- 2025-04-02: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 2, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-04-02: Communicated to Governor (House)
- 2025-04-02: House rejected Governor's recommendation (47-Y 49-N) (House)
- 2025-03-26: Governor's substitute printed (HB2537H2) (House)
- 2025-03-24: Governor's substitute printed (HB2537H2) (House)
- 2025-03-24: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2537) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2537ER) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-20: Passed Senate with substitute (20-Y 19-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Senate substitute agreed to by House (56-Y 40-N) (House)
- 2025-02-20: Reading of substitute waived (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2537) (House)
- 2025-02-10: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Committee substitute printed 25107086D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2537) (House)
- 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (54-Y 44-N) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-02-03: Labor and Commerce Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-02: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-30: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (17-Y 5-N) (House)
- 2025-01-30: Committee substitute printed 25105506D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2025-01-24: Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2025-01-09: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2025-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103827D (House)

## Bill text

- Veto Explanation, 2025-05-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080046.HTML)
- Substitute, 2025-03-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074789.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074788.PDF)
- Gov Recommendation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073757.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067613.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067612.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046198.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046197.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1045404.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1045403.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036765.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036764.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032669.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032668.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1017304.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1017303.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080046.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074789.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074788.PDF)
- [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073757.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067613.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067612.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046198.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046197.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1045404.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1045403.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036765.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036764.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032669.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032668.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1017304.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1017303.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2537-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).