Dominion Energy publishes its draft HB 395 notification process
A one-page voluntary form, no interconnection agreement, and no changes to the customer's meter or rate class. The state's largest utility signals a light-touch approach.
What happened
On March 20, Dominion Energy released a draft of the internal process it plans to use for customers who choose to notify the utility about a plug-in solar installation under HB 395. Dominion is Virginia's largest investor-owned utility and serves roughly 2.7 million residential accounts, so its posture matters more than any other utility's.
The draft is short on requirements and long on reassurances — a deliberate signal that Dominion does not intend to treat plug-in systems as distributed generators.
What's in the process
Three pieces:
A one-page online form in the customer portal asking for account number, equipment make/model, UL 3700 certification number, and date placed in service.
A 10-business-day acknowledgment. Dominion commits to emailing an acknowledgment (not an approval) within 10 business days of receiving a notification.
An account note, not a service change. The notification is logged as a comment on the customer's account. No rate class change, no meter swap, no billing effect.
What happens to your meter
Nothing. Dominion's residential AMI meters already handle small reverse flows without spinning backward; any generation that briefly exceeds household load simply zeroes out that interval rather than crediting the customer. That is the "no net metering" outcome Virginia's statute enshrines. See our no-net-metering explainer for the full mechanics.
What it signals
Dominion's draft matters beyond its own service territory. The state's cooperative and municipal utilities frequently model their residential processes on Dominion's, and the SCC's work group has cited the Dominion draft as a template. A light-touch process at Dominion likely means a light-touch process statewide.
Public comment on Dominion's draft is open through April 30 via the utility's regulatory filings portal.
Related Reading
- Read our full operational walkthrough in the complete Dominion Energy notification guide.
- Check statewide regulatory form progress on our SCC notification form tracker.
- Compare Dominion's filing with the State Corporation Commission's SCC draft notification form announcement.
Stay updated on Virginia balcony solar
Get notified when the State Corporation Commission issues new HB 395 regulations, forms, or legal updates.
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