News

Dominion Energy’s newly filed Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) sidesteps Virginia’s clean energy requirements by relying heavily on fossil fuel generation through 2039

RICHMOND, VA – Despite Virginia's ambitious clean energy mandates under the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), Dominion has proposed adding nearly 6 gigawatts of new methane gas generation, while failing to prioritize the renewable investments necessary to meet the state's goals. National business association Advanced Energy United criticized the approach. 

"Dominion Energy’s latest IRP is a step in the wrong direction. Instead of harnessing the potential of advanced energy to more reliably and cost-effectively meet Virginia’s growing energy needs and clean energy goals, this plan threatens to keep the state dependent on fossil fuels for decades,” said Shawn Kelly, a Director at Advanced Energy United. “Dominion is missing a critical opportunity to lead Virginia’s clean energy transition, protect households and businesses from rising costs, and provide more resilient clean energy solutions for all Virginians."

Joint statement from Pennsylvania Electric School Bus Coalition and Representative Brandon Markosek on school bus ride-alongs for HB1542 

HARRISBURG, PA – Pennsylvania legislators got to experience the future of clean energy firsthand today, courtesy of the Steelton-Highspire School District’s electric school bus fleet, recently acquired using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Program funding.  

Advocates and legislators urged Pennsylvania House leaders to pass legislation to fund a statewide electric school bus grant program to expand access to these cleaner, cheaper, and healthier transportation alternatives. Legislation that would create a new electric school bus program, HB 1542, has already passed out of committee, but now faces the crucial step of being brought to the House floor for a vote. 

Orange County Board of Supervisors Block Solar Development and Progress on VCEA Goals

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Today, Advanced Energy United and Virginia State Senator and Chair of Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Creigh Deeds responded to Orange County’s board of supervisors' decision blocking solar project development, including a 1,000-acre Sunfish Solar installation. The decision threatens Virginia’s ability to meet its clean energy goals established by the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). 

Electricity capacity prices skyrocketed 900% in latest auction 

TRENTON, NJ –Today, New Jersey Assembly Members James Kennedy, Andrea Katz, Robert Karabinchak, and David Bailey released a joint statement on the 900% price increase announced last month by New Jersey’s electric grid operator, PJM. Prices in their annual capacity auction rose over 900 percent from $28.92 per megawatt-day to $269.92. By the end of 2025, New Jersey ratepayers will likely see electricity bill increases of as much as 29 percent.

Electricity capacity prices skyrocketed 900% in latest auction 

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Today, Maryland State Senator Ron Watson and Maryland Delegates Adrian Boafo, Lorig Charkoudian, David Fraser-Hidalgo, and Natalie Ziegler released a joint statement on the skyrocketing electricity prices announced last week byMaryland’s electric grid operator, PJM. Prices in its annual capacity auction rose over 900 percent, from $28.92 per megawatt-day to $269.92. The price increase was most significant in Maryland, rising to $466.35. Next June, most Maryland ratepayers will likely see electricity bill increases well over 30 percent.  

These prices are driven in large part by the grid operator’s years-long issues in getting more generating resources connected to the grid. At the end of 2023, PJM had 3,309 projects – mostly solar and battery storage – waiting to connect to the grid and provide cheaper power to the region. PJM earned a national-worst “D-” in a recent scorecard from Advanced Energy United of all grid operator interconnection processes earlier this year, with developers forced to wait longer in PJM than any other region in the country. These clean energy projects together have enough capacity to replace all the generation currently operating in the PJM system, even after planned fossil fuel plant retirements. Because of this backlog, new renewable projects cannot even apply to bring power to Maryland consumers until 2026.  

Governor's action echoes other moves to obstruct the General Assembly 

RICHMOND, VA — Today, Virginia’s Governor and the Office of the Attorney General announced an opinion that suggests that Virginia is not obligated to comply with the newest update to Advanced Clean Car Standards. This announcement runs counter to a statement by Attorney General Miyares in 2022 and is a willful misinterpretation of the legislation passed in 2021.  

Transmission policies key for achieving NY’s broader clean energy goals 

H.B. 862, a bill to advance grid-enhancing technologies, was signed into law last night by Gov. Glenn Youngkin

RICHMOND, VA – Last night, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a grid-enhancing technologies bill into law after it passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support. H.B. 862, proposed by Del. Phil Hernandez and endorsed by national business association Advanced Energy United, will improve grid reliability and increase the capacity of the existing grid to keep up with the Commonwealth’s growing energy needs. 

The bill requires that electric utilities in the state consider grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), a suite of technological upgrades that could add 30-40% more capacity to the current grid and save the Commonwealth money on grid congestion costs, in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process.