By Zamone Perez
Virginia News Connection
Clean-energy advocates are asking Virginia’s utility regulator to reject a proposal from Dominion Energy to change metering rules for new solar panel users.
The proposal by Dominion Energy means people with solar panels installed might end up having to pay the company, even when they generated enough electricity to cover their usage. It would also change how excess energy is measured – from a yearly measurement to one every 30 minutes.
That means it would be virtually impossible for people to bank kilowatts during low-usage months to make up for high-usage months – and lead to higher energy bills for solar users.
Brandon Praileau, the Virginia program director with Solar United Neighbors, said the proposal could make solar a bad investment for individuals and communities.
“They would then have to pay a little bit if they were to produce the same amount and consume the same amount,” said Praileau. “The new rate that Dominion is proposing would leave them with some financial balance to pay to Dominion towards their energy bill.”
Dominion has framed the issue as a matter of fairness to those who are not solar users – and reflects the real-time realities of energy usage that face the grid.
According to Environment Virginia, the Commonwealth is a leader in renewable energy generation. Solar arrays in Virginia generated enough electricity to power 750,000 homes in 2024.
Praileau added that if Dominion’s proposal is approved, it could force many solar installers, often local businesses, to cut jobs.
“This proposal would literally have an outsized impact on people’s abilities to feed their families,” said Praileau. “If there’s a downward trend in interest for solar, that means more smaller, residential installers may have to close or lay people off.”
More than 5,000 people in the Commonwealth are employed in the solar industry, according to a George Mason University report.