Virginia General Assembly Passes First-in-the-Nation FAST Act to Unlock Surplus Interconnection

Landmark pilot program will accelerate affordable clean energy by putting existing grid capacity to work — now headed to the Governor’s desk

RICHMOND, VA – Virginia lawmakers have passed the Facilitating Access to Surplus Transmission (FAST) Act, groundbreaking legislation that establishes the Commonwealth’s first pilot program to unlock surplus interconnection capacity at existing solar facilities. The bill positions Virginia as a national leader in deploying faster, lower-cost energy resources by using grid infrastructure that is already built, already studied, and currently underused.

“We don’t have the luxury of slow and expensive anymore. This puts Virginia out front by moving power onto the grid faster and avoiding unnecessary costs. It reflects what Virginians have asked of us: build the capacity our economy needs while keeping energy affordable,” said Virginia Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg.

“We don’t need to wait years and spend billions to build from scratch. We can plug new energy into connections that already exist. That’s faster, it’s cheaper, and it keeps our grid strong,” said Virginia Delegate Phil Hernandez.

“This first-of-its-kind pilot shows how we can add new megawatts faster and at lower cost by using infrastructure that’s already in place. That means lower bills, a stronger grid, and new investment in Virginia communities, without waiting a decade for new buildouts,” said Jim Purekal, Virginia Policy Lead at Advanced Energy United.

Under the FAST Act, utilities must evaluate interconnection capacity across their existing and planned solar facilities and power purchase agreements, identifying at least two and five viable sites, respectively, where surplus interconnection can be deployed.

By tapping unused capacity at existing generation sites, the FAST Act creates a pathway to deliver new clean energy in months rather than years while helping avoid costly transmission upgrades and infrastructure buildouts that drive up customer bills.

The legislation also directs utilities to launch competitive solicitations for pilot projects totaling up to 100 MW for Phase I utilities and 500 MW for Phase II utilities, enabling new solar and battery storage resources to plug into the grid more quickly and affordably.

“With legislative approval secured, Virginia now has the opportunity to turn momentum into action,” Purekal added. “We urge the Governor to sign the FAST Act and launch this pilot program so utilities, developers, and communities can begin putting surplus interconnection to work.”