WASHINGTON – As Virginians continue to struggle to pay their rising electricity bills, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are pushing back against the Trump administration’s plans to terminate a program designed to lower energy costs and support the deployment of affordable solar power to communities hardest hit by skyrocketing costs.

Today’s letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought follows reporting that the EPA is preparing to terminate $7 billion in funding for the Solar for All program, which helps expand access to solar power and storage for low- to middle-income communities across the country. The program is expected to provide access to solar for over 900,000 households and save participating households approximately $400 a year on their electricity bills. The Commonwealth of Virginia was awarded $156 million under Solar for All that will be used to support the installation of nearly 100 megawatts of residential solar to power more than 15,400 households in Virginia while creating nearly 2,000 solar-related jobs, including approximately 1,200 direct jobs that will help support the burgeoning solar industry in Virginia.

“As the U.S. faces significant growth in energy demand and everyday Americans struggle with spiking utility costs, it is inconceivable that the Trump administration would eliminate funding designed to expand solar generation and lower energy costs for low-and-middle-income individuals across the country,” wrote the senators. “We strongly urge you to maintain funding for this critical program that supports U.S. energy security and affordability.”

“In Virginia, the Virginia Department of Energy (Virginia Energy) was awarded over $156 million under Solar for All to expand access to solar and storage to low-to-middle-income communities throughout the Commonwealth. Virginia Energy estimates this funding will help provide access to solar power for more than 15,400 households in Virginia and lower those households’ average utility bills by 20 percent,” they continued. “Continuing this program is essential to ensure thousands of low-to-middle-income Virginians can access affordable, resilient, and clean solar power.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have previously spoken out about the need to preserve critical affordability funding made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. Earlier this week, they condemned the Trump administration’s plans to terminate $156 million in federal grant funding designed to help Virginians cut their energy costs.

A copy of the letter is available here and full text can be found below.

Dear Administrator Zeldin and Director Vought:

We write today in response to recent press reports indicating the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is preparing to terminate $7 billion in lawfully awarded funding for the Solar for All program. As the U.S. faces significant growth in energy demand and everyday Americans struggle with spiking utility costs, it is inconceivable that the Trump administration would eliminate funding designed to expand solar generation and lower energy costs for low-and-middle-income individuals across the country. We strongly urge you to maintain funding for this critical program that supports U.S. energy security and affordability.

Established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Solar for All program provided $7 billion to states, Tribes, municipalities, U.S. territories, and nonprofits to expand access to affordable and resilient solar energy to low-to-middle-income communities throughout the U.S. In all, 60 grant recipients were selected to create or expand low-income solar programs intended to provide access to solar power for over 900,000 households in the U.S. The EPA has estimated the Solar for All program will unlock over 4 gigawatts (GW) of distributed solar for low-income communities, saving the average household benefiting from the program ~$400 a year on their electricity bills with estimated cumulative savings totaling over $8 billion.^[1]

In Virginia, the Virginia Department of Energy (Virginia Energy) was awarded over $156 million under Solar for All to expand access to solar and storage to low-to-middle-income communities throughout the Commonwealth. Virginia Energy estimates this funding will help provide access to solar power for more than 15,400 households in Virginia and lower those households’ average utility bills by 20 percent. The Virginia Energy program is expected to support the installation of nearly 100 megawatts (MW) of residential solar and residential serving solar. In addition, Virginia Energy estimates their program will create nearly 2,000 solar-related jobs, including ~1,200 direct jobs that will help support the burgeoning solar industry in Virginia.^[2] Virginia Energy is planning to begin issuing awards to applicants by the end of 2025. Continuing this program is essential to ensure thousands of low-to-middle-income Virginians can access affordable, resilient, and clean solar power.

As energy demand grows in the U.S. and Virginia families and households across the country continue to struggle with rising electricity bills, we strongly urge you to reconsider terminating this program that supports the deployment of affordable solar power to communities hardest hit by skyrocketing costs. Eliminating this funding that has already been obligated to 60 recipients – including the Commonwealth of Virginia – not only runs afoul of the law but hamstrings our efforts to satisfy rising energy demand and lower costs for Americans, which were key promises made by President Trump.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your response.

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