State also will join Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Sets mandatory benchmarks to reach 100% renewable power Dominion Energy Virginia must shut down its 1,032-MW Chesterfield coal plant within the next five years under a new Virginia law that essentially phases out the state’s coal-fired generation. The Virginia Clean Economy Act, signed into law on April 12 by Governor Ralph Northam, requires “all coal-fired electric generating units operating in the Commonwealth” to be retired by the end of 2024 with limited exceptions. The governor also signed legislation that will lay the groundwork for the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. “These new clean energy laws propel Virginia to leadership among the states in fighting climate change,” Northam said in an April 12 news release. “They advance environmental justice and help create clean energy jobs. In […]