SCC opens HB 395 stakeholder work group, formally beginning rulemaking
An 18-month process that will produce the notification form, utility guidance, and equipment attestation rules before HB 395's consumer protections take effect.
What happened
The Virginia State Corporation Commission formally seated the HB 395 stakeholder work group at a public organizational meeting on January 9. The work group is the vehicle the statute directs the SCC to use for drafting the notification template, publishing utility guidance, and resolving open questions about how the equipment attestation requirement will operate in practice.
Who's at the table
Seventeen representatives across six constituencies:
- Investor-owned utilities (Dominion Energy, Appalachian Power)
- Electric cooperatives (via the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives)
- Municipal utilities (via the Municipal Electric Power Association of Virginia)
- Plug-in solar equipment manufacturers and distributors
- Consumer advocates and tenant-rights organizations
- Local housing authorities and HOA industry representatives
The deliverables
The work group's charter identifies four concrete outputs:
A standardized notification form for residents who choose to notify their utility (voluntary).
Utility guidance on account-level handling of plug-in systems, including meter behavior and rate treatment.
Equipment attestation rules for how retailers and manufacturers must document UL 3700 compliance at point of sale.
A consumer education plan, coordinated with the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Timeline
The work group's charter runs through mid-2027, giving it 18 months. Public draft milestones are:
- Q2 2026 — Draft notification form for public comment
- Q4 2026 — Final notification form; utility guidance published
- Q2 2027 — Equipment attestation rules finalized
- Mid-2027 — Charter closes; residual issues transfer to SCC staff
The consumer-protection provisions of HB 395 take effect on January 1, 2027 regardless of the work group's status. If a deliverable slips, the statute still governs — the work group's product is guidance for administering rules that are already in force.
Related Reading
- See who is seated at the table in our guide to stakeholder work group membership.
- Track the 18-month rulemaking schedule in our HB 395 legislative timeline.
- Follow subsequent regulatory progress in our coverage of the draft notification form release.
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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