RICHMOND — Earlier today, House Republicans presented a number of bills to House Labor and Commerce Subcommittee #3 designed to prevent more than $450 million in ‘deficiency fees’ under the Virginia Clean Economy Act from being passed on to hard-working Virginia families.
They were all killed by Democrats on party line votes.
The fees are the result of a VCEA provision which penalizes utility companies if they don’t sell enough power from solar and wind installations, as opposed to traditional power plants. Fees are likely to be triggered this year as Dominion Energy is unable to meet the every-increasing requirement.
Under VCEA, utilities can pass those fees straight to consumers without any action from the State Corporation Commission, the state body that normally regulates utility rates.
“To say we’re disappointed is an understatement,” said House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah. “We went to this committee with a reasonable proposal that would have ensured Virginians didn’t get hit with $450 million in higher power bills this year. But Democrats have no interest.”
“Democrats refuse to recognize that this ‘aspirational Virginia Clean Economy Act they passed has run head-first into reality, and the result is sky high power bills for no discernible reduction in Virginia’s carbon emissions. They just don’t care about everyday Virginia families,” Gilbert added.
Republicans came prepared to compromise in an effort to help consumers.
“Our initial bill would have simply removed the fees in their entirety,” said Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City. “But Democrats made it clear they had no interest in that, so we brought forward a version that would reduce the fees and move them under the control of the State Corporation Commission. That still wasn’t good enough. The Clean Economy Act is quickly becoming the Clean Out Your Wallet Act.”
Bills that would have added nuclear power to the VCEA’s list of acceptable carbon-free power generation methods were rejected as well.
“When it passed, Democrats said they wanted the Virginia Clean Economy Act to reduce carbon emission for Virginia’s electricity needs. If carbon was the enemy, it wasn’t apparent today,” said Del. Rob Bloxom, R-Accomack. “Today we presented two bills that would have included carbon-free nuclear power into the VCEA’s mix of ‘clean’ power, giving our two biggest utilities a clear path to meet the demands of zero carbon power.”
“Apparently Democrats aren’t interested in carbon-free power. They simply want windmills and solar plants,” said Del. Tony Wilt, R-Rockingham. “We brought real solutions to the table, but Democrats weren’t interested. Now Virginia families are going to pay the price in the form of sky high electricity bills.”
The bills killed by Democrats include HB2200, HB2197, HB2365, and HB1875.
