Kilgore, Va. House GOP members slam Spanberger’s newly unveiled energy plan

RICHMOND,Va.(VIRGINIAMERCURY)-AfterDemocraticgubernatorialcandidateAbigailSpanbergerreleasedherenergyplanforthestatethisweek,VirginiaHouseGOPmemberswastednotimebashingit.Herplanemphasizesfaircostshare,efficiencyprojects,andsupportingapilotprogramtohandlepeakenergyconsumptiontimes,VirginiaMercuryreports. “Herplanleansheavilyondemand-sidemanagement:programmablethermostats,weatherizationprograms,utilitysubsidies,andincentivestoreduceconsumptionduringpeakhours.Thatmightsoundreasonableintheory,buthere’stheproblem:managingscarcityisn’tasolution—it’sasymptomoffailure,”anop-edpennedbyHouseGOPleadersandmembersread. Thedemand-sidemanagementtheyreferencedisarecently-passedpilotprogramthatrequiresutilitycompaniestopetitiontheStateCorporationCommissiontoconsiderhowtooptimizeenergyuseduringpeaktimes,byusingvirtualpowerplants,peak-shaving,andotherincentives.DominionissettogobeforetheCommissiononJuly15topresentitsele