Ivy Main: Virginia is making strides on clean energy – even as it falls behind
News Clipdnronline.com·VA·4/13/2026
Virginia is falling behind on its clean energy goals, largely due to immense electricity demand from data centers and regulatory decisions favoring fossil fuels. Despite past setbacks by the State Corporation Commission, new legislative initiatives and the incoming governor aim to steer the state back towards its carbon-free targets and better manage utility monopolies. The state's ability to meet climate goals is significantly challenged by data center energy consumption.
electricitygovernmentenvironmental
Gov: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, State Corporation Commission, Virginia General Assembly, Gov. Abigail Spanberger
Virginia's solar power installations significantly declined in 2025, falling below half of 2024's figures and national trends, despite the ambitious Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) targeting 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. This backslide is largely attributed to the immense electricity demand from data centers, which has prompted utilities like Dominion Energy to import more fossil fuel electricity and pursue new gas-fired power plants.
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) has faced criticism for its role in this trend, particularly for approving Dominion Energy's gas plant proposal and making it harder for private sector solar projects to connect to the grid. These regulatory decisions are seen as undermining climate goals and potentially leading to higher consumer costs. Furthermore, the Department of Environmental Quality has been slow in updating greenhouse gas emission inventories, hindering transparency on the state's environmental performance.
The article also highlights a significant loophole in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) related to unmanaged imported electricity, which is exacerbated by the growing data center industry, especially impacting providers like Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative. Legislative proposals to address this include requiring electric cooperatives to meet renewable energy minimums and mandating clean energy sourcing for data centers statewide.
Looking ahead to 2026, a new Democratic governor and legislative majorities offer renewed hope for Virginia's climate objectives. The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project is commencing operations, and the General Assembly has passed key energy bills, including rejoining RGGI. However, the author cautions that sustained vigilance against powerful utility monopolies will be essential. The incoming Governor, Abigail Spanberger, is expected to release a comprehensive energy plan that will outline critical steps to align Virginia with its aggressive decarbonization targets.