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HB 1065

Electric utilities; comprehensive assessments, surplus interconnection service.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bonita Anthony and 6 co-sponsors

Virginia legislation clarifying utility requirements for interconnecting distributed energy resources at sites with existing excess capacity, balancing renewable energy deployment against grid management costs and procedures.

Governor's recommendation received by House
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Bill Summary · HB 1065

Legislative bill overview

HB 1065 addresses how electric utilities manage "surplus interconnection service sites"—locations where utility infrastructure has excess capacity to connect new distributed energy resources like solar panels or battery storage. The bill, which has advanced through House subcommittee with a substitute version, appears designed to clarify regulatory procedures and requirements for utilities handling these interconnection requests.

Why is this important

As Virginia expands renewable energy adoption, utilities frequently encounter requests to connect distributed generation at existing service points. Clear rules for managing surplus capacity affect how quickly homeowners and businesses can install solar systems, battery storage, or microgrids, and influence whether utilities must upgrade infrastructure or can utilize existing capacity. This directly impacts renewable energy deployment timelines and costs for Virginia residents and businesses.

Potential points of contention

  • Utility burden vs. customer access: Determining whether utilities must accommodate interconnections at surplus sites or whether they can refuse based on system management concerns
  • Cost allocation: Who pays for any necessary upgrades or system modifications—the interconnecting customer, other ratepayers, or the utility
  • Timeline and processing standards: Whether the bill establishes mandatory timelines for utility responses to interconnection requests at surplus sites, potentially conflicting with utilities' operational needs

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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