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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 20. Public Utilities And Telecommunications
Agency 5. State Corporation Commission
Chapter 335. Regulations Governing the Deployment of Energy Storage
11/21/2024

20VAC5-335-20. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Behind the meter" means any system that is on the customer side of the utility service meter.

"Behind-the-meter incentive" means any incentive that encourages an end-use electric customer to implement energy storage systems that are connected to the customer side of the utility service meter, regardless of who actually owns the energy storage equipment.

"Commission" means the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

"Demand-side management program" means energy efficiency, demand response, or peak shaving programs or pilots approved by the commission that a utility may offer to customers pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 5 of the Code of Virginia.

"Energy storage" means any technology that is capable of absorbing energy, storing that energy for a period of time, and re-delivering that energy after storage.

"Energy storage aggregator" means a person or entity that, as an agent or intermediary, (i) offers to purchase or purchases energy storage system capabilities; or (ii) offers to arrange for or arranges for the purchase of energy storage system capabilities for the purposes of combining or aggregating those capabilities to enable the participation of multiple energy storage systems in electricity markets where such individual systems could not participate individually.

"Energy storage capacity" or "stored usable energy" means the maximum amount of stored energy of the energy storage system in kilowatt-hours or megawatt-hours that can be delivered to the grid.

"Energy storage facility" or "energy storage system" means an energy storage resource and any equipment, other than a transmission or distribution line, needed to interconnect the energy storage resource to the utility's electric system. This additional equipment can include switchgear, transformers, inverters, switches, cables, wires, conductors, bus work, protection devices and systems, communication and control devices and systems, fire protection systems, and environmental protection systems. Other costs associated with the construction and operation of an energy storage facility or energy storage system may include property acquisition costs, development and study costs, or other costs necessary to complete an operative facility or system.

"Energy storage power rating" means the total possible instantaneous discharge capability in kilowatts or megawatts of the energy storage system, or the maximum sustained rate of discharge that the energy storage system can achieve starting from a fully charged state to a fully discharged state.

"Energy storage project" means an energy storage facility with a specified location and an associated nameplate energy storage capacity and energy storage power rating.

"Energy storage resource" means (i) a resource capable of collecting energy from the electric power grid or a power generation facility and then discharging the energy at a future point in time to provide electricity or other grid services, or (ii) a resource capable of the active or dynamic exchange of energy.

"Non-wires alternative program" means any electricity grid investment, project, or program that uses nontraditional transmission or distribution solutions, such as distributed generation, energy storage, energy efficiency, demand response, and grid software and controls, to delay or remove the need for traditional system upgrades of equipment, such as transmission or distribution lines or transformers, without impacting the safety or overall performance of the electric power system.

"Peak demand reduction program" means any project or program aimed at shifting time of use of electricity from one period to another for the overall economic and reliability benefit of the electric power grid.

"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, company, business, trust, joint venture, or other private legal entity, and the Commonwealth or any municipality.

"Phase I Utility" has the same meaning as provided in subdivision A 1 of § 56-585.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Phase II Utility" has the same meaning as provided in subdivision A 1 of § 56-585.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Storage duration" means the amount of time an energy storage system can discharge at its energy storage power rating before depleting the stored usable energy when the system is at maximum energy storage capacity. Energy storage resources can de-rate their maximum output in order to increase energy storage duration.

Statutory Authority

§§ 12.1-13 and 56-585.5 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 37, Issue 10, eff. January 1, 2021.

Website addresses provided in the Virginia Administrative Code to documents incorporated by reference are for the reader's convenience only, may not necessarily be active or current, and should not be relied upon. To ensure the information incorporated by reference is accurate, the reader is encouraged to use the source document described in the regulation.

As a service to the public, the Virginia Administrative Code is provided online by the Virginia General Assembly. We are unable to answer legal questions or respond to requests for legal advice, including application of law to specific fact. To understand and protect your legal rights, you should consult an attorney.