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HB895Introduced in the House of Delegates

Electric utilities; energy storage requirements, Department of Energy to develop model ordinance.

Passed

Introduced by Richard Sullivan, District 6

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.

Official description

Electric utilities; energy storage resources; Department of Energy to develop model ordinances; State Corporation Commission to conduct technology demonstration program. Increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are required to petition the State Corporation Commission (the 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 16,000 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and 4,000 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045. "Long-duration energy storage" and "short-duration energy storage" are defined in the bill. Under the bill, the Commission shall approve an independent auditor to help develop criteria for and to help review requests for proposals for new energy storage resources. 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, 2031. 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 develop model ordinances suggested for use by localities in their regulation of energy storage projects by December 1, 2026. The bill directs the Commission to initiate a technical conference by September 1, 2026, to evaluate safety standards and practices for energy storage development. The bill also includes a provision authorizing the Commission to evaluate energy storage project proposals during annual petitions filed for the development of new renewable generation capacity. This bill is identical to SB 448.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0694)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

6 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Senate substitute agreed to by House (68-Y 30-N 0-A) · March 11, 2026

68

Yes

30

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

99 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each delegate voted

DelegateDistrictVote
Patrick Hope1Yes
Adele McClure2Yes
Alfonso Lopez3Yes
Charniele Herring4Yes
Kirk McPike5Yes
Richard Sullivan6Yes
Karen Keys-Gamarra7Yes
Irene Shin8Yes
Karrie Delaney9Yes
Dan Helmer10Yes

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104780D

  2. Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

  3. Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3

  4. House subcommittee offered

  5. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (6-Y 2-N)

  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)

  7. Committee substitute printed 26107210D-H1

  8. Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations (17-Y 5-N)

  9. Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

  10. Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 1-N)

  11. Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 5-N)

  12. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)

  13. Read first time

  14. Read second time

  15. committee substitute agreed to

  16. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  17. Read third time and passed House (65-Y 32-N 0-A)

  18. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  19. Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

  20. Senate committee offered

  21. Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 5-N)

  22. Committee substitute printed 26108942D-S1

  23. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)

  24. Rules suspended

  25. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  26. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  27. Read third time

  28. Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to

  29. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  30. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  31. Senate substitute agreed to by House (68-Y 30-N 0-A)

  32. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)

  33. Enrolled

  34. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB895ER)

  35. Signed by President

  36. Signed by Speaker

  37. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  38. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  39. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)

  40. Approved by Governor - Chapter 694 (effective - see bill)

  41. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0694)

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