Looks like Dominion decided to quit and take the game ball home to prevent others from continuing.
From a recent column:
Utilities in Virginia which had been collaborating with local governments, solar stakeholders and academic researchers to agree on a methodology for valuing small solar energy systems have withdrawn their participation leaving the state-directed effort without their future or concluding inputs.
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David Botkins, a spokesperson for Dominion Virginia Power, said after providing “feedback” to a draft report by the Group, it determined “the group has migrated into issues that are more appropriate for the SCC (State Corporation Commission) and General Assembly to consider.”
When asked why Dominion did not assume, from the beginning, that a report from the Group was destined for the Senate, Botkins added, with “the report nearly complete (it has been through several drafts) it seemed an appropriate time to discontinue our participation.”
Susan Rubin, Vice President-Legislative Affairs of the Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives informed DMME and DEQ of their withdrawal saying ”We began the process hoping, in the end, the work product would be the result of collaboration. Following the last meeting (in August), it became clear that we must remove ourselves from the list of participating stakeholders as we cannot be associated with the final report this group will issue.”
Pitt of VCU, the Group’s meeting leader, said, “Basically the utilities all said that the report was heading in a direction that they wouldn’t be able to support.” He added, they “wouldn’t say anything specific about what parts of the report they disagreed with.”
The withdrawal is leading several solar advocates to conclude that the utilities opined the valuation methodology headed would set too high a value for solar, setting the stage for a debate, and perhaps legislation, they might have a difficult time controlling. Several long-time observers have long doubted this study would have much, if any, impact because Republicans control the House of Delegates, as well as, the Senate. Neither body has demonstrated interest in enabling markets for cleaner energy in Virginia, even as the economy needs to replace tens of thousands of jobs lost to cut backs in defense contracting.
While earlier this week, the new state energy plan was released. From the Times Dispatch article:
The 2014 Virginia Energy Plan, released Wednesday, “will lead our efforts to grow, strengthen and diversify Virginia’s economy,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in a letter laying out his priorities and what he hopes to accomplish over the next four years.
McAuliffe’s goal is a state economy that will be “stronger … and fueled by cleaner and more abundant Virginia energy.”
The state must put in place policies that include traditional energy sources, renewable sources and energy efficiency, the plan said.
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“We don’t really look at all-of-the-above as a strategy,” said Glen Besa, director of the Sierra Club’s Virginia Chapter. “The governor’s made it pretty clear he wants to address climate change, and all-of-the-above doesn’t help us address climate change as aggressively as we need to.”
