Virginia unveils new clean energy strategy to meet rising electricity demand, advance clean firm technologies
VIRGINIA – Governor Abigail Spanberger released the 2026 Virginia Energy Plan, outlining a strategy to meet rapidly growing electricity demand while achieving Virginia’s clean energy goals.
“Virginia’s new energy plan recognizes that meeting rising electricity demand will require both deploying the clean energy solutions available today and investing in the next generation of clean firm technologies,” said Robert Kell, Senior Southeast Regional Policy Manager at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “The plan lays out important opportunities to accelerate solar, storage, and better use of the existing grid while advancing nuclear, fusion, and other clean firm resources needed for a reliable, affordable, and decarbonized power system. CATF looks forward to working with the administration, General Assembly, and other stakeholders to turn these recommendations into durable policy.”
The 2026 Virginia Energy Plan uses capacity-expansion modeling to evaluate pathways for meeting growing electricity demand while remaining on a path to net-zero emissions. Among its recommendations, the plan calls for updating Virginia’s clean energy framework to better incorporate dispatchable zero-carbon technologies, evaluating zero-carbon generation before committing to long-lived fossil assets, accelerating responsible nuclear deployment, improving use of existing grid infrastructure, and ensuring large energy users pay the costs associated with their demand.
Press Contact
Samantha Sadowski, Senior Communications Manager, U.S., ssadowski@catf.us, +1 202-440-1717
About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With 30 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
