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HB683 • 2026

Solar Interconnection Grant Program; established, report, sunset.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 19 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 4, consisting of a section numbered 45.2-1918, relating to Solar Interconnection Grant Program established; report; sunset.

Education Energy
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Herring
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact wording and requirements for the guidelines and criteria are not detailed in the provided official source material.

Solar Interconnection Grant Program

This law creates a grant program to help public bodies pay for connecting solar facilities to the power grid.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Solar Interconnection Grant Program to provide grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with interconnecting solar facilities to the grid.
  • Requires that priority be given to projects located on previously developed land.
  • Establishes guidelines and criteria for awarding grants, which are set by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.
  • Requires annual reports about the program's activities to be submitted to the General Assembly.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public bodies like local governments, school boards, and other political subdivisions of Virginia.
  • Solar facility developers who want grants for connecting their facilities to the power grid.

Terms To Know

Division
The Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the Department of Energy that runs the grant program.
Public body
A local government, school board, or other political subdivision of Virginia.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact amount of funding for the grants is not specified and depends on what is appropriated by the legislature.
  • It's unclear how many applications will be received or which projects will get grants.
  • The program ends in July 2027.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 659 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 659 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0659)

  4. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  5. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  6. 2026-03-13 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-13 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-13 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-13 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB683ER)

  10. 2026-03-13 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB683)

  11. 2026-03-06 House

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (81-Y 13-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Read third time

  13. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Read third time

  14. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  15. 2026-03-04 Commerce and Labor

    Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to

  16. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute (26-Y 14-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-03-03 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)

  18. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Rules suspended

  19. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  21. 2026-03-03 Senate

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

  22. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  23. 2026-02-26 Commerce and Labor

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB683)

  24. 2026-02-24 Commerce and Labor

    Committee substitute printed 26108397D-S1

  25. 2026-02-23 Commerce and Labor

    Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N 1-A)

  26. 2026-02-08 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB683)

  27. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  28. 2026-02-06 Commerce and Labor

    Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

  29. 2026-02-05 House

    Read third time and passed House (85-Y 13-N 0-A)

  30. 2026-02-04 House

    Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar

  31. 2026-02-04 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  32. 2026-02-03 House

    Read first time

  33. 2026-01-30 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB683)

  34. 2026-01-30 Appropriations

    Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)

  35. 2026-01-28 Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)

  36. 2026-01-20 Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

    Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

  37. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104373D

  38. 2026-01-13 Appropriations

    Referred to Committee on Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program established; report; sunset.
Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. The Program is administered by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy. The bill requires that priority be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites and requires the Division to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding of grants and general requirements of the Program. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027, and, as introduced, was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 659.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 19 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 4, consisting of a section numbered
45.2-1918
, relating to Solar Interconnection Grant Program established; report; sunset.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 19 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 4, consisting of a section numbered
45.2-1918
, as follows:
Article 4.
Solar Interconnection Grant Program.
§
45.2-1918
. Solar Interconnection Grant Program; report.
A. As used in this section:
"Division" means the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department.
"Previously developed project site" means the same as that term is defined in §
56-576
.
"Program" means the Solar Interconnection Grant Program established in this section.
"Public body" means a locality or other political subdivision of the Commonwealth or a school board.
"Solar facility" means a facility that generates electricity by means of a solar photovoltaic device, including any additions or enhancements such as battery storage or a smart inverter, and is located on land owned or leased by the public body.
B. From such funds as may be appropriated, the Solar Interconnection Grant Program is hereby established for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. In the allocation of funds, priority shall be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites. The Division shall administer the Program and shall establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding of grants and general requirements of the Program.
C. The Division shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly regarding administration of the Program for the preceding fiscal year. The report shall be furnished to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1 of each year.
2. That the provisions of this act shall expire on July 1, 2027.