Bill seeks more disclosures from electric, utility companies on power grid decisions

Virginia lawmakers are considering a bill that would require electric companies and utilities to publicly explain how they vote on major power grid decisions that can affect electricity costs and reliability across the state.

HB 84 would require Virginia’s electric utilities and certain electricity suppliers to file an annual report detailing how they voted inside regional power grid organizations. This will help decide where new transmission lines should be built, how the grid will operate, and how costs are shared among states.

Those regional organizations play a powerful role in shaping the electric system, but much of their decision-making happens outside public view.

Del. Amy Laufer, D‑Albemarle, sponsor of HB 84, said she is focusing on the need for transparency in utility decisions. In 2025, Laufer said, “As our own energy needs are growing with data centers, rate payers deserve to know that the rate they are paying for their energy needs is not subsidizing large industries.”

Supporters of the bill, such as consumer advocacy groups, some legislators and Laufer, say the reporting requirement would give regulators and the public a clearer picture of how utilities are using that influence.

Laufer is making another push this year to require utilities to disclose how they vote on key decisions in regional power grid organizations. Last session, Laufer advanced a nearly identical proposal aimed at increasing transparency in how utilities vote in Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland  Interconnection committees but that bill failed to make it through the legislative process before the deadline so there was no full house or senate floor vote.

The issue was left unresolved, and supporters say the repeated efforts show a growing concern that critical decisions with long‑term effects on electricity costs and grid reliability are being made behind closed doors. It’s also been argued by the supporters that requiring utilities to report and explain their votes would give regulators and the public greater insight and accountability.

The bill is currently assigned to the House Labor and Commerce Committee, which handles energy and utility legislation.

Even if the bill does not directly affect electricity rates, supporters say that transparency could influence future decisions, and could save ratepayers money or ensure investments benefit the consumers rather than industrial customers. Utility companies have argued in the past that regional grid processes are highly technical and already prone to oversight, and they may push back when the bill is heard.

Supporters have noted that Virginia is not alone in its pursuit of utility transparency. Across the U.S., states such as West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware are exploring ways to make decisions in regional transmission organizations more visible.