Great news for Virginia homeowners! The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) has officially approved Dominion Energy’s NEM 2.0 net metering rules. If you’ve been considering a switch to solar, this ruling confirms that Virginia remains one of the most lucrative and stable markets for residential solar in the country.
The Big Wins for Homeowners
As recently covered in an excellent report by pv magazine USA, the SCC largely rejected Dominion Energy’s attempts to severely cut the value of rooftop solar. Here is why the ruling is a massive victory for you:
- 12-Month Netting is Preserved: You can still bank the excess power your solar panels generate during sunny summer months and use those credits during the winter. The SCC explicitly rejected the utility’s push for 30-minute interval netting.
- Higher Payouts for Excess Power: Dominion is now required to pay an extra penny per kilowatt-hour for your annual excess generation, compensating you for the renewable energy credits they avoid purchasing.
- No Expensive Upfront Fees: Attempts to charge arbitrary application fees up to $750 were struck down, keeping your barrier to entry low.
Why You Need to Act Now
While this is an incredible victory for solar rights in Virginia, this golden window won’t stay open forever. The SCC noted that these highly favorable rules will be re-evaluated once net-metered solar installations hit 6% of the utility’s peak load. As more homeowners and businesses realize how fast their payback periods are under NEM 2.0, that capacity cap will fill up fast.
Don’t wait for the rules to change. Lock in your 1-to-1 net metering today to maximize your solar savings, increase your property value, and protect yourself against rising utility costs.
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