SB 249 VA

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Electric utilities; integrated resource plans. Makes various changes related to the content and process for an integrated resource plan (IRP) developed by an electric utility that provides a forecast of its load obligations and a plan to meet those obligations. The bill (i) extends the planning timeframe from 15 to 20 years; (ii) requires Appalachian Power to file an IRP by removing an exception from the definition of "electric utility"; (iii) changes the frequency with which a utility is required to file an IRP from biennially to triennially; (iv) requires utilities to consider the use of grid-enhancing technologies as alternatives to new transmission infrastructure, and when new transmission lines are envisioned, to provide the reasons grid-enhancing technologies are not sufficient to defer or eliminate the need for new transmission infrastructure; and (v) requires utilities to consider the use of surplus interconnection service, as defined in the bill, to add new electric generation projects and energy storage resources to the grid.The bill requires that the current stakeholder review process for integrated resource plans be facilitated by a third-party facilitator selected by the State Corporation Commission and compensated by the utility. The bill requires, as part of the stakeholder review process, the utility to provide stakeholders with reasonable access to the same modeling software, modeling assumptions, modeling inputs, and data used by the utility to evaluate supply and demand resources in its integrated resource plan to enable stakeholders to create modeling scenarios for the utility's consideration during the development of its integrated resource plan.The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to (a) establish guidelines that ensure that utilities develop comprehensive integrated resource plans and provide meaningful public engagement and maximum transparency during the planning process; (b) conduct a proceeding by July 1, 2027, and at least once every five years thereafter, to identify and review each of its existing orders relevant to integrated resource plans to determine if such orders remain necessary and effective and are not overly burdensome; and (c) convene a work group to make recommendations on the required guidelines.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 429.

• Scott A. Surovell Democratic · primary

1. Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104616D · upper
2. Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor · upper
3. Feb 3, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB249) · upper
4. Feb 9, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
5. Feb 9, 2026 Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (9-Y 5-N) · upper
6. Feb 10, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107458D-S1 · upper
7. Feb 11, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
8. Feb 11, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
9. Feb 11, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
10. Feb 12, 2026 Read second time · upper
11. Feb 12, 2026 Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) · upper
12. Feb 12, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) · upper
13. Feb 13, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) · upper
14. Feb 16, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB249) · upper
15. Feb 18, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
16. Feb 18, 2026 Read first time · lower
17. Feb 18, 2026 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce · lower
18. Feb 26, 2026 Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 · lower
19. Mar 3, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
20. Mar 3, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 1-N) · lower
21. Mar 5, 2026 Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (19-Y 2-N) · lower
22. Mar 5, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26109184D-H1 · lower
23. Mar 9, 2026 Read second time · lower
24. Mar 10, 2026 Passed by for the day · lower
25. Mar 11, 2026 Read third time · lower
26. Mar 11, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
27. Mar 11, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
28. Mar 11, 2026 Passed House with substitute (66-Y 32-N 1-A) · lower
29. Mar 12, 2026 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) · upper
30. Mar 12, 2026 House insisted on substitute · lower
31. Mar 12, 2026 House requested conference committee · lower
32. Mar 12, 2026 Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
33. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
34. Mar 12, 2026 Senate Conferees: Surovell, Bagby, Stanley · upper
35. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
36. Mar 12, 2026 House Conferees: LeVere Bolling, Shin, O'Quinn · lower
37. Mar 12, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB249) · upper
38. Mar 12, 2026 Senate acceded to request · upper
39. Mar 14, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
40. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) · lower
41. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (20-Y 18-N 0-A) · upper
42. Mar 24, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB249) · upper
43. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · upper
44. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB249ER) · upper
45. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
46. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
47. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · upper
48. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
49. Apr 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB249) · upper
50. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 608 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
51. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0608) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Conference Report · HTML
• Conference Report Substitute · PDF
• Conference Report Substitute · HTML
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · PDF
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · HTML
• Subcommittee #3 Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Subcommittee #3 Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Labor and Commerce Amendment · HTML
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · PDF
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · HTML
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · PDF
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML