# Virginia HB369: Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program, zero-carbon electricity, etc.

Virginia HB369, Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program, zero-carbon electricity, etc., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by David A. Reid (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-03-31 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0043)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB369-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB369
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program, zero-carbon electricity, etc.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-03-31, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0043)
- Sponsor: David A. Reid (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (313 yes, 9 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 13

## Summary

Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard; zero-carbon electricity; accelerated clean energy buyers. Revises the conditions under which accelerated clean energy buyers, defined in existing law as accelerated renewable energy buyers, may contract with Appalachian Power or Dominion Energy Virginia to obtain renewable energy certificates (RECs). The bill exempts an accelerated clean energy buyer obtaining capacity, energy, or RECs from qualifying resources or facilities from the assignment of non-bypassable costs associated with compliance with the renewable portfolio standard program based on the amount and type of renewable energy certificates obtained in proportion to such accelerated clean energy buyer's total electric energy consumption. This bill is identical to SB 598.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Renewable payments fund community job training: benefit, low. Virginia's Department of Energy directs renewable deficiency-payment proceeds to four uses. Job training in historically economically disadvantaged communities gets 50%. Energy-saving measures in public facilities get 16%, and renewable-energy programs in those communities get 30%. Administration g…
- Earlier supplier switchers avoid specified charges: benefit, low. Specified customers avoid certain unavoidable utility charges while buying electricity from a competitive supplier. Phase II customers must have had 2019 peak demand above 100 megawatts and switched before April 1, 2019. Phase I customers must have switched before February 1, 2019. Their electricit…
- Utilities pay for missed renewable goals: cost, medium. Utilities must make deficiency payments when they miss annual renewable goals or required certificate costs exceed $45 per megawatt-hour. The base payment is $45 per megawatt-hour of shortfall. It is $75 for qualifying Virginia solar, wind, or anaerobic-digestion shortfalls from resources one megaw…
- Utilities expand wind and competitive solar purchases: mixed, high. Each Phase II utility must seek approval for 16,100 megawatts of Virginia solar or onshore wind by December 31, 2035. Milestones require 3,000 megawatts by December 31, 2024, then 3,000 more by December 31, 2027. They require another 4,000 by December 31, 2030, and 6,100 more by December 31, 2035.…
- Customers pay for clean energy costs: mixed, medium. Phase I and Phase II utilities recover covered clean-energy costs through customer charges, subject to legal exemptions. Customers generally pay these charges even when buying electricity from another supplier. Virginia customers pay Virginia's share; recovery from outside-supplier customers had to…
- Large clean energy buyers get limited exemptions: mixed, medium. Commercial or industrial buyers qualify with prior-year aggregate load above 25 megawatts, required clean-energy arrangements, and state certification. Their sales leave utility renewable-goal calculations, and qualifying contracted capacity reduces utility procurement duties without crediting the…
- Phase I utilities add solar and wind: mixed, medium. Each Phase I utility must seek approval to build, buy, or contract for 600 megawatts of solar or onshore wind. Milestones require 200 megawatts in Virginia by December 31, 2023, then 200 more by December 31, 2027. Another 200 megawatts is required by December 31, 2030. At least 35% of each mileston…
- Utilities add storage with purchasing limits: mixed, medium. By December 31, 2035, each Phase I utility must seek approval for 400 megawatts of storage; each Phase II utility, 2,700. Utilities can seek more with state approval, but individual projects are capped at 500 megawatts, or 800 for Phase II. For facilities placed in service after July 1, 2020, at le…
- Utilities can save credits but must buy locally: mixed, medium. Starting with compliance year 2025, at least 75% of Phase II utilities' certificates must come from eligible Virginia resources. Phase I and Phase II utilities can use excess renewable sales or certificates in their creation year and the next five calendar years. Utilities can recover costs for cer…
- Utilities face rising renewable energy goals: mixed, medium. Phase I and Phase II utilities must buy and retire renewable energy certificates, which track qualifying renewable power. Annual goals use prior-year electricity sales, excluding sales to certified accelerated clean energy buyers. Phase I targets for 2021–2030 are 6%, 7%, 8%, 10%, 14%, 17%, 20%, 24…
- Utilities get broader but limited energy choices: mixed, medium. Beginning with compliance year 2025, utilities must use certificates from approved renewable sources. These include specified solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass, waste-to-energy, and landfill-gas resources, with source-specific location and operating limits. Virginia water-power facilities ope…
- Utilities retire plants with reliability relief: mixed, medium. The law set December 31, 2024, for covered utilities to retire Virginia coal units and oil units over 500 megawatts. Coal exceptions cover units jointly owned with cooperatives and qualifying Phase II coalfield units that co-fire biomass. By December 31, 2045, covered utilities must retire their re…
- Small energy projects get a reserved share: mixed, low. Phase II utilities must meet 1% of their renewable requirement with Virginia solar, wind, or anaerobic-digestion projects. Projects must be one megawatt or smaller, with no more than 3,000 kilowatts at one site or adjoining affiliated sites. Available qualifying low-income projects must supply at l…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: David A. Reid (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 95 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 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 with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 94 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 20 | 2 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (37)

- 2026-03-31: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0043) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Approved by Governor-Chapter 43 (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)
- 2026-03-05: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-05: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB369ER) (House)
- 2026-03-05: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB369) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 4-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-26: Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (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)
- 2026-02-24: Committee substitute printed 26108329D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Read third time and passed House (94-Y 3-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-06: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-05: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB369) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Committee substitute printed 26106674D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-03: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (20-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-01-29: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-29: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB369) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104556D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-03-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214969.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214968.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194577.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194576.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177722.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177721.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177333.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177332.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115324.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115323.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103840.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103839.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103242.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103241.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084053.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084052.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/1214969.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214968.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194577.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194576.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177722.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177721.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177333.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177332.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115324.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115323.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103840.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103839.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103242.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103241.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084053.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084052.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB369-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).