With vetoes and destructive amendments, Youngkin acts to deepen Virginia’s energy woes

Gov.GlennYoungkintookactiononmorethan900piecesoflegislationMonday.(PhotobyMarkusSchmidt/VirginiaMercury) Thisyear’sGeneralAssemblysessionnotablyfailedtoproducelegislationaddressingthewideninggapbetweenelectricitydemandandsupplyinVirginia.Legislatorsshiedawayfrommeasuresthatwouldaddressthegrowingdemandfromdatacenters,buttheyalsocouldn’tbringthemselvestoimprovethesupplypicturebysupportinglandownerswhowanttohostsolarfacilities.Bythetimethesessionended,amerehandfulofbillshadpassedthatcouldimproveourabilitytomeetdemand.   Still,theinitiativesthatdidpassofferedpositivestepsforwardonenergyefficiency,distributedgeneration,interconnectionofrooftopsolar,energystorage,EVchargingandutilityplanning.Inaddition,twodatacenter-relatedbillspassedrequiringmoreplanningandtransparencyduringthelocalpermittingprocessandtaskingutilitieswithdevelopingademandresponseprogramtorelievesomeoftheaddedburdenonthegrid. Sadly,howe