What will Virginia’s renewable energy landscape look like by 2030? Not much different than in 2014 if you ask Dominion Virginia Power, the state’s largest electric utility. The State Corporation Commission kicked off proceedings this week to determine whether or not Dominion’s proposed energy plans for the next 15 years are “reasonable and within the public’s interest.” Dominion, Virginia’s largest climate polluter by far, is proposing to increase its renewable energy portfolio by less than 1 percent compared to the utility’s current generation mix. That’s right: LESS THAN ONE PERCENT!
It goes without saying that Dominion’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) sends the commonwealth down the wrong path. If adopted, Dominion’s IRP would increase carbon emissions by 37.5 percent of the utility’s current output over the next 15 years. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report a few weeks ago warning of the dire consequences associated with climate change inaction. Yet, rather than being responsible by bringing more carbon-free technologies like wind and solar online, Dominion proposes to actually INCREASE its carbon footprint. In the face of climate impacts occurring with greater intensity and frequency, increasing carbon pollution is far from “reasonable” and is certainly not in “the public’s interest.”
One of the many benefits of clean energy sources like wind and solar is that the fuel is free. These free fuel sources mitigate the impact to consumers that is caused by rising or at times volatile fuel prices like those that occur in the natural gas industry. Of course, the cheapest source of energy is energy we don’t have to use. Thus, Dominion should significantly increase its energy efficiency measures as a supplement to investing in more renewable energy resources. Six years ago, Virginia’s General Assembly passed a state-wide goal of increasing energy efficiency by 10 percent by 2022. To date, Dominion has reduced energy consumption by less than 1 percent. These are reasonable options that benefit Dominion’s ratepayers and the public at-large.
Clean energy reduces emissions that damage our citizens’ health, is the proper medicine for reducing climate change disruption, and strengthens our economy by adding the jobs of the future that our commonwealth needs and deserves. Dominion’s proposed energy plan is far too risky and costly. Dominion can and should present a more diverse, cleaner plan to meet Virginia’s future energy needs. Of course, the final decision lies at the feet of Virginia’s three commissioners, who will decide the reasonableness of Dominion’s dirty energy plans.
