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Happy Friday
January 16 2026
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This week, the Energy Right team is back in action, attending a press conference at the General Assembly as well as a policy discussion in Hanover. We’re looking forward to more meaningful changes being made this year when it comes to energy, the Right Way.
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Tobacco Trail Solar Reflects a Community Ready to Shape Its Energy Future
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Prince Edward Board of Supervisors
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Energy Right is excited to see the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors approve the 150 MW Tobacco Trail solar project by a 5–3 vote. The decision reflects thoughtful local leadership and a recognition of the role responsibly developed energy projects can play in strengthening the county’s long-term economic and energy future. Projects of this scale provide predictable revenue, preserve landowner choice, and contribute to a more secure and locally resilient energy system for Virginia.
The public hearing showed a broad-based community support for the project. Supporters of Tobacco Trail significantly outnumbered opponents in the room, with speakers representing a wide cross-section of interests. Notably, voices from the agrivoltaics industry spoke to the compatibility of solar with continued agricultural use, reinforcing that energy development and working land are not mutually exclusive.
Members of the South-Central Virginia Business Alliance also spoke in favor of the project, highlighting its value to small businesses and blue-collar workers across the region. Through local procurement and contracting, projects like Tobacco Trail will employ many county and regional residents, from electricians and equipment operators to fencing contractors, grazers, and maintenance providers, while injecting private investment directly into the local economy.
Energy Right is proud to have supported community engagement around this project and applauds Prince Edward County for allowing responsible development and property rights to guide its decision-making. The approval of Tobacco Trail is a great example of how locally driven energy decisions can promote growth, protect rural values, and position counties to thrive in Virginia’s evolving energy landscape.
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Our team was in Ashland, Chesapeake, Hanover and Prince Edward counties this week!
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On Tuesday morning, the Energy Right team attended Coffee and Connect at the Dominion Energy Innovation Center in Ashland, Virginia. This monthly small business networking and collaboration event provided an opportunity to engage with local entrepreneurs, community leaders, and stakeholders from Hanover County and the town of Ashland. During the event, our team introduced Energy Right and connected with businesses and organizations actively shaping the region’s economic and energy future.
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Virginia explained: How clean energy works, and how it could lower utility bills
– Dogwood
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Rising electricity bills in Virginia are reshaping the energy affordability debate. With Dominion Energy rate increases set to add roughly $13 a month to household bills through 2026, advocates argue that long-term affordability hinges less on short-term fixes and more on the structure of the energy system itself. The article reframes clean energy not as aspirational policy, but as a practical hedge against fuel volatility and global market shocks.
Renewables offer price stability because their “fuel” is abundant and local, insulating households from spikes tied to gas and coal markets. Local generation also cuts waste and transmission losses baked into fossil fuel costs. While clean energy won’t immediately lower bills, its predictability, mature technology, and reduced exposure to global crises make it increasingly central to keeping energy costs manageable over time.
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NEXT WEEK
We’ll be in Gloucester and more!
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Virginia’s 2026 legislative session is shaping up around clean energy, affordability and data center pressures, with lawmakers prioritizing renewable generation, energy storage and reforms to reduce electric bills. Clean energy bills aim to expand solar, batteries and grid access while addressing rising demand from data centers, even as debates continue over fossil fuel infrastructure and fair cost allocation.
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