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:
"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.
(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.