Common Charge Applauds Gov. Spanberger’s Nation-Leading Plan Putting a Flexible Grid First

Richmond, VA — Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger released a nation-leading energy plan on Thursday, modeling five different scenarios for how to meet the state’s rapidly growing energy demand. Importantly, the governor’s analysis places more distributed energy and grid flexibility front and center, finding that it is the least costly way to meet that demand.

“Gov. Spanberger did the math, she showed her work, and she found the lowest-cost pathway to power the Commonwealth is prioritizing a flexible grid,” said Mary Rafferty, executive director of Common Charge. “For the first time in Virginia history, a governor is leading with the benefits of a more distributed, local energy system in the Commonwealth’s energy plan. The way we build our energy infrastructure requires modern design; Gov. Spanberger's plan exemplifies that.”

Gov. Spanberger’s energy plan highlights a growing trend as more states across the country build out local power and grid flexibility plans including rooftop and community solar, battery storage, demand response, and virtual power plant programs. States from Colorado to Illinois to Texas are prioritizing local, flexible power as the solution to meeting energy demand affordably.