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Administrative Code

Virginia Administrative Code
12/7/2024

Chapter 319. Regulations Governing Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyers

20VAC5-319-10. Purpose and applicability.

This chapter is promulgated pursuant to § 56-585.5 G 2 of the Code of Virginia to implement the provisions of § 56-585.5 of the Code of Virginia related to accelerated renewable energy buyers.

Statutory Authority

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

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 11, eff. February 1, 2022.

20VAC5-319-20. Definitions.

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

"Aggregate load" means the combined electrical load associated with selected accounts of an ARB with the same legal entity name as, or in the names of affiliated entities that control, are controlled by, or are under common control of, such legal entity or are the names of affiliated entities under a common parent.

"Bundled contract" means (i) a contract for the bundled capacity, energy, and RECs from solar or wind generation resources located within the PJM region and initially placed in commercial operation after January 1, 2015, including any contract with a utility for such generation resources that does not allocate to or recover from any other customer of the utility the cost of such resources; and (ii) a subscription by a customer of a Phase II Utility, as of March 1, 2020, to a voluntary companion experimental tariff offering of the utility for the purchase of renewable attributes from renewable energy facilities that requires a renewable facilities agreement and the purchase of a minimum of 2,000 renewable attributes annually.

"Commission" means the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

"Electrical load associated with the selected accounts of an accelerated renewable energy buyer" means the aggregate demand to be determined based on the sum of the maximum non-coincident peak demand metered on the utility's distribution system for each customer account in the previous calendar year. The maximum non-coincident peak demand for each customer account is the highest average kilowatt measured during any 30-minute interval in the previous calendar year.

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

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

"REC" means renewable energy certificate.

"REC-only contract" means a contract for purchase of unbundled RECs from RPS eligible resources as that term is described in § 56-585.5 C of the Code of Virginia.

Statutory Authority

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

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 11, eff. February 1, 2022.

20VAC5-319-30. Certification of accelerated renewable energy buyers.

Any potential ARB must be certified annually either (i) through the Phase I or Phase II Utility in whose certificated service territory its accounts are located through the process established by that utility or (ii) through the commission pursuant to 20VAC5-319-40.

Statutory Authority

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

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 11, eff. February 1, 2022.

20VAC5-319-40. Commission certification process.

A. The commission establishes the following process for certification through the commission:

1. Any potential ARB that chooses to certify directly with the commission must submit to the director of the commission's Division of Public Utility Regulation an Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form by March 1 for the upcoming year, starting June 1 and concluding May 31, based on load data and information from the prior calendar year.

2. Upon receipt of a completed Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form pursuant to subdivision A 1 of this section, commission staff shall provide the appropriate Phase I or Phase II Utility with a copy of the completed Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form, excluding copies of any executed contracts provided to commission staff by the potential ARB, and set a deadline by which the utility shall submit comments to commission staff. The utility's comments shall include confirmation to commission staff that the potential ARB meets the aggregate load requirements of § 56-585.5 of the Code of Virginia. The utility shall also send a copy of its comments to the potential ARB.

3. Following receipt of a completed Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form pursuant to subdivision A 1 of this section, based on its review and the comments received, commission staff shall determine by May 1 whether the potential ARB meets the requirements of § 56-585.5 G of the Code of Virginia and this chapter, the type of certification (i.e., REC-only contract or bundled contract), and the percentage exemption.

4. Within five business days of its certification decision, commission staff shall provide the appropriate Phase I or Phase II Utility with a list of customer accounts associated with each certified ARB, the type of certification (i.e., REC-only contract or bundled contract), and the percentage exemption. Commission staff shall also provide each Phase I Utility and Phase II Utility with the nameplate capacity of the solar and wind generation of certified ARBs with bundled contracts.

B. Any potential ARB or Phase I or Phase II Utility that contests the certification decision made by commission staff must file a formal complaint with the commission pursuant to 5VAC5-20-100 within 10 business days of the certification decision. Any statutorily exempt charges incurred by the potential ARB after June 1 are subject to collection or refund, depending on the certification decision.

C. Customers certified as ARBs through this process shall be exempt from the applicable charges, which could be a full or partial exemption, for one year starting June 1 and concluding May 31 following certification.

D. For a potential ARB that seeks certification based on its load and renewable energy under contract for the 2020 calendar year, the ARB must submit an Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form by March 1, 2022, based on information for the 2020 calendar year. Customers that are certified as ARBs based on 2020 calendar year information will receive a refund of applicable charges for the period of June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022.

E. In lieu of resubmitting executed contracts or excerpts of such contracts on an annual basis, customers previously certified as ARBs may be recertified by providing an attestation from a corporate officer affirming that there have been no material changes to the relevant contracts during the previous year.

Statutory Authority

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

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 11, eff. February 1, 2022.

20VAC5-319-50. Utility certification process.

A. Each Phase I Utility and Phase II Utility shall establish a process to certify ARBs based on receipt and review of Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Forms submitted to the utility by potential ARBs. In reviewing the information submitted by potential ARBs required for certification, each Phase I Utility and Phase II Utility shall ensure that the appropriate internal protections are in place to protect the confidentiality of that information from those within the utility serving in marketing roles or from unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

B. By May 1 annually, each Phase I Utility and Phase II Utility shall submit to commission staff a complete list of ARBs certified by the utility. Each Phase I Utility and Phase II Utility shall submit additional information to support its certification decisions to commission staff upon request. Any potential ARB that contests the certification decision made by a Phase I or Phase II Utility may file a formal complaint with the commission pursuant to 5VAC5-20-100 within 10 business days of the certification decision. Commission staff may contest the certification decision made by a Phase I or Phase II Utility by filing a motion with the commission pursuant to 5VAC5-20-90, or, as appropriate, through other relevant proceedings before the commission. Any statutorily exempt charges incurred by the potential ARB after June 1 are subject to collection or refund, depending on the certification decision.

C. Customers certified as ARBs through this process shall be exempt from the applicable charges, which could be a full or partial exemption, for one year starting June 1 and concluding May 31 following certification.

D. For a potential ARB that seeks certification based on its load and renewable energy under contract for the 2020 calendar year, the ARB must submit an Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form by March 1, 2022, based on information for the 2020 calendar year. Customers that are certified as ARBs based on 2020 calendar year information will receive a refund of applicable charges for the period of June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022.

Statutory Authority

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

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 11, eff. February 1, 2022.

20VAC5-319-60. Confidentiality.

Where any Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form or other information submitted to commission staff under this chapter, including any supporting documents, contains information that the ARB asserts is confidential, it shall be treated in accordance with 5VAC5-20-170.

Statutory Authority

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

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 11, eff. February 1, 2022.

20VAC5-319-70. Waiver.

The commission may waive any part or all parts of this chapter for good cause shown.

Statutory Authority

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

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 11, eff. February 1, 2022.

Forms (20VAC5-319)

Accelerated Renewable Energy Buyer Certification Form (eff. 2/2022)

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