News

Richmond Times-Dispatch published a letter to the editor submitted by Kim Jemaine in which she highlights Virginia's Dominion Energy's most recent Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and advocates for more implementation of clean energy technologies rather than their suggested use of more nuclear reactors.

RICHMOND, VA, June 7, 2023 – Today, Advanced Energy United, the national association of businesses working to achieve 100% clean energy and electrified transportation, expressed its disappointment in the Air Pollution Control Board’s decision to approve a regulatory repeal of Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”).

“This Initiative is working to reduce energy costs for Virginians, and withdrawing from it undermines the Commonwealth’s economy," said Kim Jemaine, Director at Advanced Energy United. “In the first two years of participation, RGGI generated $252 million for weatherization and energy efficiency projects, chiefly for low-income Virginians. RGGI has been particularly impactful for the over 200,000 low-income residents who pay a disproportionate amount of their income toward the cost of energy.”

Fauquier Times runs an article published by Virginia Mercury, quoting Kim Jemaine's perspective on Dominion Energy's decision to continue building power plants to meet the utility's energy needs in that area.

New IRP not a “good faith decarbonization plan,” says national business group Advanced Energy United

[editor's note: this press release originally stated this was Dominion's first IRP since the VCEA was signed into law. It is Dominion's first IRP since the law went into effect.]

RICHMOND, VA, May 2, 2023 – This week, Dominion Energy Virginia filed its first Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) since the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), Virginia’s landmark energy law, went into effect in July of 2020. Today, Advanced Energy United, the business association that supported passage of the VCEA, criticized Dominion’s new approach for meeting the law’s requirements.

“We have seen this play from Dominion before. Its latest resource plan is yet another example of this utility picking a forecast that suits its business interests,” said Kim Jemaine, director at Advanced Energy United (formerly AEE). “Dominion chooses a questionable energy load forecast as justification for cherry-picking preferred technologies, preserving existing fossil-fuel facilities, and calling for new investment in gas fired resources. In our view, Dominion has not developed a good faith decarbonization plan that fully aligns with the Virginia Clean Economy Act, Virginia’s landmark energy law.”

Energy News Network interviewed Kim Jemaine on Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's new energy plan. Read snippets below and the full article here. 

Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin caused a stir early this month when he released an Energy Plan that doesn’t mention climate change in its 35 pages, an about-face from the carbon emissions-cutting pillars initiated by his Democratic predecessor.

RTO Insider examined Virginia's new energy plan, quoting Kim Jemaine on how it stifles the governor's goal of reliability, affordability, innovation, and competition. Read snippets below and the full article here. 

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Monday released an energy plan that focuses on developing still-untested carbon-free resources while calling into question the ability of current renewable technology to make up for lost capacity as the state shifts away from fossil fuels.

The Virginia Pilot detailed Gov. Glenn Youngkin's new energy plan, quoting Kim Jemaine on how it takes the Commonwealth off course. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin unveiled a new energy plan on Monday that he said calls for a flexible approach.

Loudoun Times Mirror detailed Virginia's new Energy Plan, quoting AEE's Kim Jemaine on how the updates run counter to the Governor's stated goals. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Plan calls for U-turn away from cleaner, cheaper energy future in Virginia, says business group

RICHMOND, VA, October 3, 2022 – Today, business association Virginia Advanced Energy Economy reviewed the new Energy Plan proposed by the Governor Youngkin Administration, and Kim Jemaine, Director at Virginia AEE, released the following statement: