The Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (CEUR) is a state commission – created by the Virginia General Assembly – that monitors the State Corporation Commission’s (SCC) implementation of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act. Among other items, the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act gives the SCC the authority to approve electric rates, ensures that utilities can meet future demands for electricity, and outlines the processes for approving new power plants. I bring this up to say that the CEUR met this past week and the discussion was eye-opening – and not in a good way.
As the CEUR panel considered legislation on a number of energy bills, there was one common theme: unreliable solar, wind, and battery storage are the only plans that General Assembly Democrats currently have to keep our lights on, and it will not be enough to do so. Despite numerous reports from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, electric grid operator PJM Interconnection, and even the State Corporation Commission, Democrats are all-in on renewable (or “non-dispatchable”) solutions. Even worse, they are planning on legislation that will force local governments to accept solar farms and battery projects that would otherwise be rejected by local residents. I have heard from nearly all local governments within the 42nd House District that these solar siting decisions should be made at the local level and not taken over by the state, but it appears that General Assembly Democrats disagree.
All of these projects, including a new battery storage mandate, will be passed through to ratepayer bills. Virginians are not happy about having to pay higher power bills, and I worked exceedingly hard in the 2025 legislative session to decrease them through my “APCO Rate Reduction Act.” The direction that Democrats want to take in 2026 will effectively reverse the trend of lowering electric bills, and Virginians should be angry that they have to pay higher power bills to finance less efficient electrical generation technologies. Enacting these “grid solutions” will do one thing: guarantee that Virginia suffers rolling blackouts the next time we have a severe heatwave or cold snap.
Meanwhile, state Democrats have also signaled that they are all-in to forcibly redraw the Commonwealth’s congressional maps to set out a 10-1 Democratic majority. The only reason for this is to oppose President Donald Trump. Nearly two-thirds of Virginians said via referendum that they wanted nonpartisan political maps, and this heavy-handed directive flies in the face of what the public voted for. It is unfortunate to see principles take a backseat to the pursuit of power by those on the left in Virginia – hopefully it will not take voters too long to realize the consequences of the 2025 general elections.
As the Delegate representing the 42nd House District in the Virginia General Assembly, your concerns are my greatest priority. If ever I may be of assistance to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at DelJBallard@House.Virginia.Gov. You can also follow me on Twitter @JasonBallardVA or like my Facebook page, Jason Ballard for Delegate, to keep up to date with what I am doing in Richmond and in our community on your behalf.
