2026 Legislative Priorities

Behind nearly every cost-of-living increase is a familiar thread: a broken political system shaped by powerful corporations to protect profits, not people. Corporate abuse takes many forms, but nowhere is it clearer than in Virginia’s energy system.

That’s why a long list of lawmakers have put forward bills this legislative session focused on getting money out of politics and advancing clean, affordable energy.

Legislative patron: Senator Kannan Srinivasan (SB 619)
Why it’s needed: Right now, massive data centers can begin drawing enormous amounts of electricity from the grid without any upfront review of the impacts to Virginians. This bill puts guardrails in place, so Virginians are not forced to subsidize new infrastructure built to serve the richest corporations in the world.
TAKE ACTION: Contact your lawmaker and ask them to fight for lower electric bills and healthier communities by supporting this legislation.

Legislative patron: Senator Russet Perry (SB 339)
Why it’s needed: Data centers are among the most energy-intensive facilities in existence, with a single campus consuming as much electricity as a mid-sized city – and Virginia is home to the largest concentration of data centers in the world. Consequently, the demand for power in Virginia is skyrocketing. To keep up, utilities like Dominion are pushing the construction of expensive, polluting new fossil fuel projects (like its nearly $1.5 billion proposed gas plant in Chesterfield County), and passing the costs on to residential customers and small businesses. This bill would ensure that data centers pay their fair share for costs tied to their energy consumption.
TAKE ACTION: Tell your lawmaker: Don’t let Virginians pay the price for Big Tech’s data centers.

Legislative patrons: Delegate Rip Sullivan (HB 903) and Senator Scott Surovell (SB 251)
Why it’s needed: Rising demand, planned grid expansion and volatile fuel prices are driving up energy bills. Virginia is entering a period of historic utility spending, and decisions made now will shape future energy bills for decades to come. Experts recommend that PBR tools can strengthen the utility business model while delivering better outcomes in areas of critical concern such as affordability, reliability and decarbonization.

Legislative patron: Delegates Sam Rasoul and Joe McNamara (HB 1075)
Why it’s needed: APCo customers’ electric bills have increased 159% since 2007, more than three times the rate of inflation. This legislation is aimed at curbing these rising costs

Legislative patron: Delegate Kathy Tran (HB 1175)
Why it’s needed: Energy demand is skyrocketing in Virginia due to the rapid growth of the data center industry, and consequently, fueling the construction of costly, polluting fossil fuel projects. This bill requires APCo and Dominion to conduct a transparent, competitive procurement process for clean energy solutions at least 15 months before requesting to build new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Additional Bills We’re Supporting

Local Democracy Support Funds (HB 639): This bill, carried by Delegate Paul Krizek, allows election officials to accept property or services from private individuals or nonprofit organizations to support elections. These resources can be used for voter education, voter registration, and other costs related to running elections, helping ensure voters have the information and support they need to participate.

Fuel Cost Shared Responsibility (HB 1256): Instead of passing all fuel cost increases directly to customers, this bill, carried by Delegate Irene Shin, requires utilities and customers to share the risk when costs go up or down.
Tax Exemption Standards for Data Centers (HB 897 and SB 465): This bill, carried by Delegate Rip Sullivan and Senator Creigh Deeds, updates the rules for data centers to qualify for tax exemption, ensuring that tax benefits only go to data centers that reduce pollution and support a cleaner energy system.
Fair Power Planning Act (HB 429 and SB 249): This bill, carried by Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling and Senator Scott Surovell, updates how Virginia’s electric utilities plan for the future by extending the planning period from 15 years to 20 years and changing the planning period from every two years to every three years. The bill also strengthens public input by requiring an independent facilitator for the stakeholder review process and directing the State Corporation Commission to set clear rules that promote transparency, strong planning and meaningful public participation.
Clean Campaigns Act (SB 584): This bill, carried by Senator Saddam Salim, would set reasonable contribution limits for the amount of money any entity may donate to any one candidate, and ban political contributions and independent expenditures from foreign-influenced corporations
Corporate Power Reset Act (HB 1447): This bill, carried by Delegate Jackie Glass, would bypass the restrictions on state-level campaign finance reform imposed by Citizens United v. FEC to ensure that political spending is a choice made by real people, not by corporations using vague legal powers.
Power Without Politics Act (SB 502): This bill, carried by Senator Danica Roem, would prohibit regulated utility monopolies from contributing to the political campaigns and committees of government officials who are tasked with regulating them.
Local Public Campaign Financing (SB 368): This bill, carried by Senator Jennifer Caroll Foy, would provide localities the freedom to establish public financing programs for local elected offices, allowing candidates to run competitive races fueled by small-dollar donations so they can spend more time meeting with constituents instead of calling lists of wealthy donors.
Appalachian Power Customer Protection Act (SB 691): This bill (the Senate companion to HB 1075), carried by Senators David Suetterlein and Creigh Deeds, would ensure APCo’s profit is determined fairly, protect customers from paying for uneconomic decisions made by the utility, and ensure that reliable power is delivered at the lowest reasonable cost.
No New Gas for Big Tech (HB 155): This bill (The House companion to SB 619), carried by Delegate Josh Thomas, would protects Virginians from subsidizing costly, polluting fossil fuel infrastructure by requiring data centers to obtain a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission before they connect to the grid.
Fair Share Energy Act: These bills, carried by Delegates Michelle Maldonado (HB 658) and John McAuliff (HB 503), would protects Virginia families and businesses from paying unfair costs for energy infrastructure that is used to serve the growing data center industry.
Energy Bills Integrity Act (SB 761): This bill, carried by Senator Mike Jones, would prevent regulated utility monopolies from charging customers for activities unrelated to providing electric service, such as political contributions, lobbying, luxury expenses, and advertising.

No New Gas for Big Tech

Protects Virginians from subsidizing costly, polluting fossil fuel infrastructure by requiring data centers to obtain a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission before they connect to the grid

Fair Share Energy Act

Protects Virginia families and businesses from paying unfair costs for energy infrastructure that is used to serve the growing data center industry

Performance-Based Regulation workgroup

Directs state regulators to convene a workgroup to design an improved regulatory framework, known as Performance-Based Regulation (PBR), that aligns utility incentives with performance and better outcomes for customers

Appalachian Power Customer Protection Act

Ensures APCo's profit is determined fairly, protects customers from paying for uneconomic decisions made by the utility, and ensures that reliable power is delivered at the lowest reasonable cost

Clean and Competitive Procurement Act

Ensures that utilities properly consider less expensive and cleaner options before pursuing new fossil fuel infrastructure

Additional Bills We’re Supporting