From Clean Virginia:
Clean Virginia: Dominion’s energy plan again fails to “meet the mark”
Carbon emissions would increase in all of Dominion’s resource plans
Richmond — Consumer protection and environmental advocates staunchly criticized Dominion Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in testimony with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) today.
“The evidence in this case will show that Dominion’s latest IRP, again, fails to meet the mark,” said William Reisinger, the attorney representing Clean Virginia in the integrated resource plan proceeding with the SCC. The SCC rejected Dominion’s two prior IRPs in 2018 and 2021 finding the utility failed to submit least-cost plans that were reasonable and in the public interest.
When questioned by Southern Environmental Law Center Senior Attorney Will Cleveland, representing Appalachian Voices, an expert for Dominion Energy confirmed that three of its plans do not meet the utility’s own stated goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 while the other two plans rely on technology that does not currently exist.
“Dominion Energy is signaling at every turn its intention to abandon any commitment to carbon reduction and cost savings for customers. It is evident after hearing from witnesses at the IRP proceeding today that Virginia households and businesses deserve an independent energy planning process that prioritizes sustainability, affordability, and reliability over short-term profit margins for an energy monopoly,” said Clean Virginia Executive Director Brennan Gilmore.
Experts repeatedly highlighted Dominion’s failure to offer a feasible least-cost plan, invest in even modest energy efficiency savings, and the utility’s clear attempts to undermine the Virginia Clean Economy Act, a 2020 law Dominion itself helped shape and praised. All five of the scenarios proposed by Dominion include coal and gas-fired generation and would result in increasing carbon emissions through at least 2039.
Dominion is currently proposing to build a 1000 MW gas plant in Chesterfield County, the largest of its kind in the state, and one that would be forced to retire early under the VCEA.
The evidentiary hearing will continue tomorrow at 10 a.m., and the SCC is expected to issue a final order on the plan by January 2024.
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Clean Virginia is a 501(c)4 independent advocacy organization with an associated Political Action Committee, Clean Virginia Fund. Clean Virginia works to fight corruption in Virginia politics in order to promote clean and affordable energy. We are motivated by the core belief that our democracy should serve everyday Virginians over special interests.
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