WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2023 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 3087

By Delegate Young

[Introduced January 26, 2023; Referred to the Committee on Energy and Manufacturing]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §20-19-1 and §20-19-2, all relating to energy storage systems, and providing for energy storage system access.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 19. Energy storage access.

§20-19-1. Definitions.

"Energy storage system" means any commercially available system including batteries and the batteries paired with on-site generation that is capable of retaining, storing, and delivering energy.

"Utility" means a qualifying retail utility.

§20-19-2. Rules.

(a) The West Virginia Division of Energy shall promulgate legislative rules allowing the installation, interconnection, and use of energy storage systems in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code, and such rules shall include:

(1) Utility approval processes and any required interconnection reviews of energy storage systems shall be simple, streamlined, and affordable for customers; and

(2) Utilities shall not require the installation of customer-sited meters in addition to a single net energy meter for the purposes of monitoring energy storage systems; except that the commission may authorize the requirement of metering for certain large energy storage systems, as determined by the division.

(b) Nothing in this section alters or supersedes either:

(1) The principles of net metering; or

(2) Any existing electrical permit requirements or any licensing or certification requirements for installers, manufacturers, or equipment.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for energy storage system access.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.