Virginia Law

This regulation is promulgated pursuant to the provisions of §§ 56-594, 56-594.01, and 56-594.2 of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act (§ 56-576 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). This chapter establishes requirements intended to facilitate net energy metering for customers owning and operating, or contracting with persons to own or operate, or both, electrical generators that use specific types of renewable energy as the total fuel source. This chapter will standardize the interconnection requirements for such facilities and will govern the metering, billing, payment, and contract requirements between net metering customers, electric distribution companies, and energy service providers. Agricultural net metering customers are subject to the same provisions as nonagricultural net metering customers unless otherwise specified. On or after July 1, 2019, interconnection of eligible agricultural customer-generators shall cease for member-owned electric cooperatives only, and such facilities shall interconnect solely as small agricultural generators. For member-owned electric cooperatives, agricultural net metering customers whose agricultural renewable fuel generators were interconnected before July 1, 2019, may continue to participate in net energy metering for a period not to exceed 25 years from the date of their agricultural renewable fuel generator's original interconnection.

This chapter also establishes requirements for the interconnection of small agricultural generators. Small agricultural generators or agricultural renewable fuel generators may elect to interconnect as a net metering customer or as small agricultural generators pursuant to 20VAC5-315-75, but not both. Existing eligible agricultural renewable fuel generators may elect to become small agricultural generators, but may not revert to being an agricultural renewable fuel generator after such election.