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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia SB 651

Underground electric distribution & transmission improvement; levy on utility customers by ordinance.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE

Qualifying localities; underground electric distribution and transmission improvements; levy on utility customers by ordinance. Authorizes a qualifying locality, defined in the bill, to enter into an agreement with an electric utility to place new or proposed underground electric distribution or transmission lines and facilities or to relocate or convert existing overhead electric distribution or transmission lines and facilities underground. The bill requires any such agreement to provide that the locality pay to the utility its full additional costs of placing new or proposed electric distribution or transmission lines in the qualifying locality or relocating and converting that portion of a line located in the county underground rather than overhead, minus the net of relocation credits.The bill also provides that the qualifying locality may impose an additional levy on electric utility customers, which (i) shall not exceed $1 per month on residential customers; (ii) shall not exceed $10 per month on nonresidential customers; (iii) may be fixed at any amount on nonresidential customers that are major commercial energy consumers, defined in the bill; and (iv) shall be collected by the utility on behalf of the locality.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 16, 2026, 4:04 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 12, 2026
Senate		Concur House Substitute RfailSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 12, 2026
Senate		Accede Conference Committee RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 11, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 5, 2026
House		Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 3, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 13, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 11, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 9, 2026
Senate		Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendmentspassSet your home in Virginia to see

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