As your state Senator, Dick Saslaw is proud to be a voice for moving Virginia away from fossil fuels and bringing our power grid into the modern age. He worked closely with Governor Northam to pass the Grid Transformation and Security Act (SB 966), a landmark piece of legislation for Virginia’s energy future. SB 966 will dramatically increase the quantity of renewable energy in the public interest from 500 megawatts to 5,000 megawatts, enough to power more than 80,000 homes. This includes a forward-looking mix of solar and wind energy. It will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in ratepayer rebates, including the entirety of Dominion’s annual federal tax break, and maintain the SCC’s oversight authority. Further, Dominion will commit $130 million to help underprivileged Virginians with new, energy-efficient air conditioners, weatherization services, and bill payment assistance. These funds directly support low-income, elderly, disabled, and veteran populations.
Additionally, the Grid Transformation and Security Act will provide for significant undergrounding of power lines to guard against the types of power outages we witness all too frequently during severe weather. Dick has long been a proponent of undergrounding power lines, putting forward legislation in 2014, 2017, and 2018. This is not only common sense for the safety of our communities and maintaining local services, but it’s crucial for businesses as well. For small businesses and local entrepreneurs, a day or two without power could mean all the difference to their bottom line. As a former business owner himself, Dick knows that many residents of the 35th District rely on the power staying on.
Dick is proud of the fact that the Grid Transformation and Security Act was fully supported by two of the largest environmental groups in the nation – the League of Conservation Voters and the Natural Resources Defense Council, as well as several citizen and corporate stakeholder groups.