Virginia Gov. Youngkin guts energy affordability measures passed by the General Assembly and plays politics with Virginia’s energy security
RICHMOND, VA – Last night, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin introduced poison pill amendments designed to gut several key pieces of legislation the General Assembly passed to bring down costs for Virginia families and businesses.
“Earlier this year, leaders in the General Assembly put forward impactful legislation to expand the role of homes and businesses in the clean energy transition and to allow these projects to help keep the lights on and lower energy bills. Virginia needs leaders who take the job of policymaking seriously and use the positions they have been entrusted with to address the challenges faced by their constituents and the Commonwealth as whole. Rather than taking the opportunity to lead by signing these bills into law, Governor Youngkin instead took the opportunity to engage in partisan politics,” said United Virginia Policy Lead and Legislative Director Jim Purekal.
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Topics:
Press Releases,
Jim Purekal,
Virtual Power Plants,
Solar,
Battery Storage
Inside Climate News reports that Virginia Governor Youngkin is currently reviewing critical advanced energy legislation aimed at enhancing the state's commitment to renewables by diversifying energy sources beyond large-scale utility projects. With concerns about energy affordability, United's Jim Purekal argued that rising electricity costs are primarily driven by escalating fuel prices and storm recovery expenses.
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Topics:
Virginia,
United In The News,
Jim Purekal,
Solar
In a guest column piece for The Virginia Pilot, United's Jim Purekal discusses critical advanced energy legislation that has made it to Governor Youngkin's desk for final approval. Purekal highlights the benefits of these bills to balance the state's energy needs with economic considerations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a stable power supply while keeping costs low for ratepayers.
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Topics:
Virginia,
United In The News,
Jim Purekal
A pair of bipartisan energy bills are on their way to the Governor’s desk for signature
RICHMOND, VA – Today the Virginia General Assembly passed two critical energy bills—S.B. 1040 and S.B. 1100—marking a major step forward in expanding clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions for the Commonwealth.
- S.B. 1040, which passed the House unanimously (97-0), expands access to distributed generation (DG), ensuring more Virginians can benefit from local, customer-owned clean energy resources like rooftop solar. The bill also removes the size requirement for solar and wind projects to qualify for third-party power purchase agreements, making the technology more affordable to more people.
- S.B. 1100 concerns virtual power plants (VPPs) and it requires Dominion Energy to propose a pilot program to test technologies that help manage electricity demand. The program will study how VPPs can support the power grid, especially during times of high energy use, and whether they can reduce the need for additional grid capacity.
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Topics:
State Policy,
Virginia,
Press Releases,
Jim Purekal
Inside Climate News reports that Virginia is debating the establishment of the Virginia Energy Facility Review Board, a proposed body that would evaluate solar farm projects across the state. United's Jim Purekal spoke to the benefits of solar power and other renewable energy sources, stating that a diverse set of large-scale advanced energy projects is necessary for Virginia to meet its clean energy goals.
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Topics:
Virginia,
United In The News,
Jim Purekal,
Solar
Virginia's Clean Cars Standard will help facilitate adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across the state, reducing the risks of long-term environmental impacts. United’s Jim Purekal shares his experience with The Virginia-Pilot of purchasing an EV as a second car, and why the state should do more to work toward a cleaner future by facilitating adoption of EVs.
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Topics:
Advanced Transportation,
Virginia,
United In The News,
Electric Vehicles,
Jim Purekal
Public News Service reports that Virginia's clean energy initiatives are being stunted due to wide-spread misinformation. United's Jim Purekal debunks false claims made against solar and offers alternative, reliable clean energy methods that can provide power to consumers throughout the state.
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Topics:
Virginia,
United In The News,
Jim Purekal
RTO Insider reports on United's August 2024 webinar, Reforming State and Local Policies to Accelerate Clean Energy Deployment, which explored core policy principles decision-makers and stakeholders should consider when reforming state policy frameworks that govern the siting and permitting processes of large-scale renewable and energy storage projects. The article quotes both United's Trish Demeter and Jim Purekal, who led the webinar discussion.
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Topics:
State Policy,
United In The News,
Trish Demeter,
Permitting and Siting,
Jim Purekal
