Virginia House Bill 1637 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: Vetoed on May 12 2023 - 100% progression
Action: 2023-05-12 - Governor: Vetoed by Governor
Text: Latest bill text (Conference Sub) [HTML]

Electric utilities; pilot program for underground transmission or distribution lines; additional projects. Adds one project to the existing pilot program for underground transmission lines. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to approve one additional application filed between January 1, 2023, and October 1, 2023, as a qualifying project to be constructed in whole or in part underground, as a part of the pilot program. The bill requires that the added qualifying project be a newly proposed 230-kilovolt underground line and that (i) an engineering analysis demonstrates that it is technically feasible to place the proposed line, in whole or in part, underground; (ii) the governing body of each locality in which a portion of the proposed line will be placed underground indicates, by resolution, general community support for the project and that the governing body supports the transmission line to be placed underground; (iii) a project has been filed with the Commission or is pending issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity by October 1, 2023; (iv) the estimated additional cost of placing the proposed line, in whole or in part, underground does not exceed $40 million or, if greater than $40 million, the cost does not exceed 2.5 times the cost of placing the same line overhead, assuming accepted industry standards for undergrounding to ensure safety and reliability; if the public utility, the affected localities, and the Commission agree, a proposed underground line whose cost exceeds 2.5 times the cost of placing the line overhead may also be accepted into the pilot program; (v) the public utility requests that the project be considered as a qualifying project under the pilot program; and (vi) the primary need of the project is for purposes of grid reliability or grid resiliency or to support economic development priorities of the Commonwealth, including the economic development priorities and the comprehensive plan of the governing body of the locality in which at least a portion of line will be placed, and not to address aging assets that would have otherwise been replaced in due course. Electric utilities; pilot program for underground transmission or distribution lines; additional projects. Adds one project to the existing pilot program for underground transmission lines. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to approve one additional application filed between January 1, 2023, and October 1, 2023, as a qualifying project to be constructed in whole or in part underground, as a part of the pilot program. The bill requires that the added qualifying project be a newly proposed 230-kilovolt underground line and that (i) an engineering analysis demonstrates that it is technically feasible to place the proposed line, in whole or in part, underground; (ii) the governing body of each locality in which a portion of the proposed line will be placed underground indicates, by resolution, general community support for the project and that the governing body supports the transmission line to be placed underground; (iii) a project has been filed with the Commission or is pending issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity by October 1, 2023; (iv) the estimated additional cost of placing the proposed line, in whole or in part, underground does not exceed $40 million or, if greater than $40 million, the cost does not exceed 2.5 times the cost of placing the same line overhead, assuming accepted industry standards for undergrounding to ensure safety and reliability; if the public utility, the affected localities, and the Commission agree, a proposed underground line whose cost exceeds 2.5 times the cost of placing the line overhead may also be accepted into the pilot program; (v) the public utility requests that the project be considered as a qualifying project under the pilot program; and (vi) the primary need of the project is for purposes of grid reliability or grid resiliency or to support economic development priorities of the Commonwealth, including the economic development priorities and the comprehensive plan of the governing body of the locality in which at least a portion of line will be placed, and not to address aging assets that would have otherwise been replaced in due course. Additionally, the bill adds one project to place underground an electric distribution mainline as part of a transportation infrastructure improvement project incorporating transit that has been initially accepted for partial funding of at least $250 million pursuant to a federal program. The bill provides that such project is qualified to be placed underground if (a) the estimated additional cost of placing the proposed mainline, in whole or in part, underground does not exceed $40 million or, if greater than $40 million, the cost does not exceed 2.5 times the cost of placing the same line overhead, assuming accepted industry standards for undergrounding to ensure safety and reliability; if the public utility, the affected localities, and the Commission agree, a proposed underground line whose cost exceeds 2.5 times the cost of placing the line overhead may also be accepted into the pilot program and (b) the public utility requests that the project be considered as a qualifying project under this section. The provisions of the bill related to the underground distribution mainline expire on July 1, 2028.

Electric utilities; pilot program for underground transmission or distribution lines, adds projects.

Del. Michael Webert [R]

2023-02-24 - House - House: VOTE: Adoption (94-Y 0-N) (Y: 94 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 6) [PASS]
2023-02-24 - Senate - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-02-21 - Senate - Senate: Senate insisted on amendment (39-Y 0-N) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2023-02-20 - House - House: VOTE: REJECTED (10-Y 89-N) (Y: 10 N: 89 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [FAIL]
2023-02-16 - Senate - Senate: Passed Senate with substitute (40-Y 0-N) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-02-15 - Senate - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-02-13 - Senate - Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (14-Y 0-N) (Y: 14 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-02-06 - House - House: VOTE: Block Vote Passage (100-Y 0-N) (Y: 100 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-01-31 - House - House: Reported from Commerce and Energy (21-Y 0-N) (Y: 21 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2023-01-24 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N) (Y: 8 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2023-05-12		Governor: Vetoed by Governor
2023-04-12		Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 12, 2023
2023-04-12	House	Communicated to Governor
2023-04-12	House	Passed by for the day
2023-04-12	House	Placed on Calendar
2023-03-27	House	Governor's substitute printed 23107778D-H1
2023-03-27	House	Governor's recommendation received by House
2023-03-13		Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 27, 2023
2023-03-13	House	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 13, 2023
2023-03-08	Senate	Signed by President
2023-03-08	House	Signed by Speaker
2023-03-07	House	Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1637ER)
2023-03-07	House	Enrolled
2023-02-24	House	VOTE: Adoption (94-Y 0-N)
2023-02-24	House	Conference report agreed to by House (94-Y 0-N)
2023-02-24	Senate	Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
2023-02-23		Conference: Amended by conference committee
2023-02-23	Senate	Senators: Surovell, Mason, Vogel
2023-02-23	Senate	Conferees appointed by Senate
2023-02-22	House	Delegates: Webert, Kilgore, Krizek
2023-02-22	House	Conferees appointed by House
2023-02-22	House	House acceded to request
2023-02-21	Senate	Senate requested conference committee
2023-02-21	Senate	Senate insisted on amendment (39-Y 0-N)
2023-02-21	House	Placed on Calendar
2023-02-20	House	VOTE: REJECTED (10-Y 89-N)
2023-02-20	House	Senate substitute rejected by House 23106615D-S1 (10-Y 89-N)
2023-02-20	House	Placed on Calendar
2023-02-16	Senate	Passed Senate with substitute (40-Y 0-N)
2023-02-16	Senate	Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute HB1637S1
2023-02-16	Senate	Committee substitute agreed to 23106615D-S1
2023-02-16	Senate	Reading of substitute waived
2023-02-16	Senate	Read third time
2023-02-15	Senate	Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
2023-02-13	Senate	Committee substitute printed 23106615D-S1
2023-02-13	Senate	Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
2023-02-07	Senate	Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
2023-02-07	Senate	Constitutional reading dispensed
2023-02-06	House	VOTE: Block Vote Passage (100-Y 0-N)
2023-02-06	House	Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (100-Y 0-N)
2023-02-03	House	Read second time and engrossed
2023-02-02	House	Read first time
2023-01-31	House	Reported from Commerce and Energy (21-Y 0-N)
2023-01-24	House	Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
2023-01-19	House	Assigned sub: Subcommittee #1
2023-01-08	House	Referred to Committee on Commerce and Energy
2023-01-08	House	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/23 23100154D

SB1370 (Same As) 2023-05-12 - Governor: Vetoed by Governor

Type	Source
Summary	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1637
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1637+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1637S1+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1637ER+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1637H1+hil
Amendment	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+amd+HB1637AC
Amendment	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+amd+HB1637AG
Supplement	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+oth+HB1637F171+PDF
Supplement	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+oth+HB1637FS1171+PDF
Supplement	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+oth+HB1637FER171+PDF
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+H2301V0010+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+H23V0037+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+HV1401+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+S02V0112+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+SV0505HB1637+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+SV0532HB1637+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+HV2052+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+SV0664HB1637+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+SV0928HB1637+HB1637
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+HV2341+HB1637