This bill amends Virginia's legal definition of "carbon-free energy" or "clean energy" to explicitly include fusion energy as a qualifying source, alongside existing sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric, wave, tidal, geothermal, and nuclear energy. The legislation adds a specific definition of fu…

This bill amends Virginia's legal definition of "carbon-free energy" or "clean energy" to explicitly include fusion energy, which is defined as energy generated through the process of fusing atomic nuclei. The legislation adds fusion energy to the existing list of carbon-free energy sources (solar,…

This bill authorizes Phase I Utilities (specific investor-owned electric utilities in Virginia) to recover development costs for small modular nuclear facilities (nuclear reactors with capacity up to 500 megawatts) from ratepayers before the facilities are built. Starting July 1, 2024, these utiliti…

This bill allows Dominion Energy Virginia (referred to as a Phase II Utility) to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval to recover costs associated with developing small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) through customer rate adjustments, even before the reactors are operational. The l…

This bill establishes the Nuclear Education Grant Fund and Program within Virginia to support the development and expansion of nuclear education at colleges and universities in the state. The program, administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council), will award compet…

This bill establishes that nuclear energy must be classified as a "clean energy source" for all clean energy and carbon-free energy programs, initiatives, and regulations administered by Virginia's Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. The main purpose is to ensure nuclear power qualifies for an…

This bill directs several state agencies—including the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, and the Secretary of Education—to collaborate with the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority and Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority to develop…

This bill directs several Virginia state agencies—including the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, and the Secretary of Education—to collaborate with the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authori…

This bill authorizes investor-owned electric utilities in Virginia to petition the State Corporation Commission for a rate adjustment clause that would allow them to recover costs associated with upgrades, replacements, or other modifications needed to extend the operating licenses or operational li…

Establishes the Virginia Power Innovation Fund; the Virigina Power Innovation Program; and the Virigina Nuclear Innovation Hub.

Directs the Virginia Department of Energy, in cooperation with the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority, to convene a stakeholder working group to identify strategies and any needed public policies, including statutory or regulatory changes, for promoting the development of advanced small mo…

Encourages the advancement of nuclear energy research and the exploration of economic development opportunities related to nuclear energy.

Amends the definition of carbon-free energy or clean energy to include electric energy generated from a source that does not emit carbon dioxide during generation, including nuclear energy.

Mandates that the state joins the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Directs the state Department of Education to work in consultation with pertinent industries, such as nuclear energy, to establish the energy career cluster.

*Struck April 2020 Establishes that planning and development for new nuclear generation facilities are in the public interest and allows nuclear development costs to be included in base rates.

Establishes the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority to make Virginia a national and global leader in nuclear energy, and to serve as an interdisciplinary study, research, and information resource on nuclear energy issues.

Amends the ratemaking procedure of the State Corporation Commission and requires that the determined rate of return on common equity shall not be lower than the average rate of return of other investor-owned electric utilities in the southeastern U.S.