Richmond, VA, Sept. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virginia voters overwhelmingly support measures to lower electricity bills, improve utility accountability, add solar power to public schools, and make better use of the electric grid Virginians already pay for, according to a new statewide poll commissioned by the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance and conducted by Embold Research.
The findings show electricity affordability has become a defining concern across party, age, income, and utility regions. Two thirds of voters are very or extremely concerned about household electricity costs, and eight out of ten think that state lawmakers should make reducing electricity bills an important or top priority. The poll also shows that voters are not just frustrated by rising costs. They want action.
Other key findings:
- Voters want utilities to use the grid better before spending more. 79% support requiring utilities to prove they are efficiently using the existing grid before building new infrastructure and passing costs to customers. 62% support allowing utility companies to earn a financial reward when they demonstrate they are using the existing electrical grid more efficiently.
- Voters want stronger utility accountability. 67% support reducing guaranteed investor-owned utility (IOU) profit levels, and after rising demand from data centers, voters rank three top factors behind higher electricity bills in Virginia: utility companies operating as monopolies without competition, utility companies seeking large profits, and state regulators rubber-stamping utility rate increases.
- Voters want solar power on public entities. 71% of voters support the state legislature passing a law to make it easier for public schools, colleges and universities, and government agencies to install solar panels on their buildings. 62% support requiring electric utility companies to make it easier for homes, schools, and businesses to connect solar panels and battery systems to the electrical grid.
"Voters could not be clearer: Virginians want action on electricity affordability," said Tony Smith, president of the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance and CEO of Secure Solar Futures. "Across party lines and utility regions, voters support common sense solutions to hold utilities accountable to lower costs and use the electric grid more effectively, while helping K-12 public schools to make and use their own clean energy. That includes removing barriers that utilities have erected to stop schools and others from going solar. Now utilities, regulators, and legislators need to respond."
The poll also found deep concern about the role of data centers in raising costs for all Virginians and the proposed merger of the state’s largest utility Dominion Energy with Florida-based NextEra.
“Most Virginia voters oppose new data centers in the state or in their local area. But if the facilities are going to be built, then voters want data centers to do their part to keep costs down and bring new clean energy to the grid,” said Smith.
“Likewise, when voters are informed about the proposed merger of Dominion and NextEra, the majority are opposed to creating the largest electric utility in the country,” Smith said. “But if the merger does go through, voters want guarantees that rates will not rise, that data centers will pay the costs of their own power, and that the combined company will be prohibited from making political donations to Virginia candidates and officials.”
Polling was conducted online from August 26 - 31, 2026. Using Dynamic Online Sampling to attain a representative sample, Embold Research polled 1,017 registered voters statewide. Post-stratification was performed on age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, 2024 vote, and region. You can see a full methodology statement here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Je_xB2M6ERdmDELD5W7L38dJ6Orcp3HxExRrS4vbBGE/edit?tab=t.0.
About the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance
The Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance brings together businesses in solar power and battery storage with schools and other clean energy customers and environmental advocates to remove the barriers to local clean energy through policy advocacy, regulatory engagement, public education, and member collaboration. Find the DSA online at https://vasolaralliance.org/.
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Attachments
- Virginia Voters Worry about High Electric Bills
- Virginia Voters Want More Solar on Schools and Other Taxpayer-Funded Entities
Erik Curren Secure Solar Futures (540) 466-6128 erik@securesolarfutures.com