“Yesterday’s SCC ruling leaves shared solar in Appalachian Power territory in a state of complete uncertainty. Projects are ready to deliver bill savings to customers and clean, reliable energy to the grid. But with the minimum bill—the program’s most critical economic lever—still up in the air, developers have no clear path to move forward.
Legislation passed last year directed the Commission to ensure shared solar customers are charged fairly, reflecting the full benefits these projects provide to the grid and the Commonwealth. But the Commission’s decision today fails to do that. Instead, it punts core questions about the structure and cost of participation into a future proceeding—likely too late for projects to qualify for remaining federal incentives under the solar Investment Tax Credit, which is being rapidly phased out by the OBBB Act.
Without a workable and well-defined minimum bill, this program cannot succeed. We urge the Commission to act swiftly this fall to provide regulatory clarity and unlock the savings, jobs, and energy security that shared solar is ready to deliver in Virginia.”