On May 1, 2025, Dominion Energy Virginia filed a petition to revise its net metering program. Recent amendments to Va. Code § 56-594(E) require the SCC to conduct hearings to establish the net metering credit rates for both Dominion and Appalachian Power. The law requires the SCC to establish appropriate billing rates for net metering customers and to “make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the net energy metering program does not result in unreasonable cost-shifting to nonparticipating electric utility customers.”
In its petition, Dominion proposes to implement a “NEM 2.0” program. The NEM 2.0 proposal would transition from an annual “netting period” to “real-time netting.” Under “real-time netting,” Dominion would “net the inflow and outflow from a customer’s meter every half-hour, the outcome being that each half-hour interval will be a net consumption or net production interval.” Energy would be “netted each half-hour to be charged or credited accordingly.” Dominion’s NEM 2.0 proposal would also base customer compensation for excess generation on the per-MWh costs for Dominion’s current distributed solar PPAs. Finally, Dominion proposes new application and account maintenance fees for all net metering customers.
Several intervening parties filed direct testimony on October 30 opposing Dominion’s petition. Several environmental organizations filed expert witness testimony arguing that Dominion’s proposal, if adopted, would discourage customers from investing in on-site solar, while encouraging inefficient energy usage. The City of Alexandria filed direct testimony arguing that Dominion’s proposal, if adopted, would conflict with the City’s climate action plan.
The SCC held an evidentiary hearing on January 20 and 21, 2026. Prior to the hearing, the SCC received public testimony from several witnesses, including solar developers and existing net metering customers. Pursuant to the statute, the SCC must publish a final order on or before May 1, 2026.