Geothermal energy; Dept. of Energy to study, SCC to establish requirements for high energy users.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify penalties for missing deadlines or exact amounts of available geothermal energy in Virginia.

Geothermal Energy Study and Requirements

This bill directs the Department of Energy to study geothermal energy in Virginia and requires the State Corporation Commission to set rules for large electricity users based on this study.

What This Bill Does

• The Department of Energy must conduct a study on geothermal electric generating resources and heating/cooling systems, including evaluating available capacity from these sources in Virginia. The department will submit its findings and recommendations to the State Corporation Commission by July 1, 2027.
• Starting by September 30, 2027, the State Corporation Commission must initiate a proceeding to establish requirements for high energy users to utilize standardized amounts of capacity from geothermal resources based on the study's results.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Department of Energy will conduct a study and report back to the State Corporation Commission.
• High energy users, defined as retail electric service customers with a consistent demand of at least 100 megawatts from regulated utilities, may have new rules about using geothermal energy. The commission can adjust this threshold.

Terms To Know

geothermal energy

Energy produced from heat inside the Earth's surface

high energy user

A retail electric service customer of a regulated utility with a consistent demand of at least 100 megawatts.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the Department of Energy or State Corporation Commission misses their deadlines.
• It is unclear how much geothermal energy will be available in Virginia based on the study's findings.

Official Summary Text

Department of Energy to study geothermal energy; State Corporation Commission proceeding to establish geothermal energy requirements for high energy users.
Directs the Department of Energy to conduct a study on geothermal electric generating resources and geothermal heating and cooling systems in the Commonwealth and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the State Corporation Commission by July 1, 2027.

The bill also directs the State Corporation Commission to initiate a proceeding by September 30, 2027, to establish requirements for high energy users to utilize standardized amounts of capacity from geothermal electric generating resources and geothermal heating and cooling systems, as informed by the study submitted by the Department of Energy. The bill defines "high energy user" as a retail electric service customer of a utility regulated by the Commission with a consistent demand of 100 megawatts, but the Commission is permitted to adjust the megawatt size threshold for high energy users as determined by the Commission to be appropriate to manage electric demand in the Commonwealth through the use of geothermal energy.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to direct the Department of Energy to study geothermal energy and to direct the State Corporation Commission to conduct a proceeding to establish geothermal energy requirements for high energy users.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
The Department of Energy
(the Department)
shall conduct a study on geothermal electric generating resources and geothermal heating and cooling systems, as such terms are defined in §
56-576
of
the Code of Virginia. In conducting its study, the Department shall evaluate the
approximate
amount
s
of electric generation capacity available in the Commonwealth from geothermal electric generating resources and geothermal heating and cooling
system
s. The Department may hire an independent consul
tant to assist with completing such evaluation. The Department shall complete its study and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the State Corporation Commission no later than July 1, 2027.

§ 2.
T
he State Corporation Commission (the Commission)
shall initiate a proceeding by September 30, 2027
,
to
establish requirements for high energy users to utilize standardized amoun
ts of capacity from geothermal electric generating resources and geothermal heating and cooling systems
, as informed by the study
submitted by the Department of Energy under § 1
. In conducting such proceeding, the Commission shall consider feedback from the public, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders as necessary to determine the standardized amounts of capacity from geothermal electric generating resources and geothermal heating and cooling systems to be
required for high energy users. For the purposes of this section, "high energy user" means a
retail electric service customer of a utility regulated by the Commission with a consistent demand of 100 megawatts. The
Commission shall
have
the
authority to adjust the
megawatt size threshold for high energy users to which the requirements shall apply
as determined by the Commission to be appropriate to manage electric demand
in the Commonwealth
through the use of
geothermal energy
.