VA HB472

Establishes a two-year pilot program through the Department of Energy and Department of Emergency Management to create up to three resilience hubs per year in vulnerable communities, including areas with high percentages of low-income, disabled, or elderly residents

Resilience hubs combine solar panels and batteries to provide continuous power to publicly accessible buildings during severe weather or grid disruptions

Limits placement to one resilience hub per planning district, restricted to areas within a Phase II Utility's exclusive service territory as established by the State Corporation Commission

Phase II Utilities will own the battery storage at each hub and may petition the State Corporation Commission to recover associated costs; utilities may also use the batteries for peak-shaving during non-emergency periods

Battery storage from these resilience hubs may count toward the maximum distributed energy resources allowed under the virtual power plant pilot program