Net metering rates are here to stay for solar customers in Dominion territory! Whether you’re an existing customer or thinking about rooftop solar for your home, your rate is protected. 

This comes after Dominion petitioned the SCC last year to decrease the rate of return for energy produced by solar customers in excess of what they use, which would have disincentivized an important solution to Virginia’s energy crisis at a time when we need it the most. 

The SCC reviewed the case and issued a decision earlier this month, concluding that the net metering structure should remain unchanged. If you’ve been following this case, you may have noticed that there was some confusion around the initial SCC decision. PEC and our partner intervenors in this case – Solar United Neighbors, Vote Solar, Sierra Club – petitioned the SCC for a clarifying order, which was delivered on May 20, 2026. 

The SCC ruled that Dominion must “[maintain] the existing energy-based accounting for netting imported and exported electricity over the [one-year] net metering period.” The SCC did approve a 30-minute interval for purposes of developing more accurate data regarding net usage, but for solar customers, netting will remain annual.

The only meaningful financial change for a customer receiving net metering credits is the export credit for any excess energy left over after the one-year mark, which will be credited at $0.58 per kilowatt hour (kWh). Prior to this decision, any excess energy left over at the end of year was credited at the full retail rate of $0.14per kWh. But within the annual netting period, excess credits will continue to carry over month-to-month at full value.

Had Dominion been successful with its petition, the change would have cut the net metering rate by nearly half, making it much harder for Virginia families and businesses to invest in energy independence and protect themselves from rapidly escalating power bills. 

Thank you to all who submitted comments in this case (Case No. PUR-2025-00079). Over 1,300 people submitted public written comments to the SCC and more than 50 spoke at the hearing itself. The SCC also rejected Dominion’s request to capture the customer’s Renewable Energy Certificates (REC’s) and its attempt to add an arduous fee for new applications. 

Encouragingly, the findings in PEC’s Value of Solar report (Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors) were reflected in the SCC’s ruling, which also found there are many benefits of small-scale solar that go beyond Dominion’s analysis, including: 

• economic benefits identified in the record, including spending related to the purchase, installation, and maintenance of solar systems by net metering customers 
• avoided fuel costs 
• reduced reliance on carbon generation
• enhanced reliability and resiliency for the grid through increased transmission and distribution capacity
• fewer line losses 

These factors reflect that the current net metering program provides extensive positive economic and societal benefits to the Commonwealth. 

Thank you to all who submitted comments in this case! This is a powerful precedent for distributed generation moving forward.