Virginia Lost Access to $156 Million in Solar Aid as Federal Program Remains in Limbo

Brandon Praileau, a Norfolk pastor, has seen what solar power can do for a household budget. His congregation at Wesley Union A.M.E. Zion Church in Hunter's Square cut its monthly electric bills by one-fifth after a 10.1-kilowatt array of ground-mounted panels beside the church went online in early 2021.

That experience is why Praileau is troubled by the continued federal block on a program meant to bring solar and battery technology to thousands of low- and moderate-income Virginians. The $7 billion Solar for All program was terminated in July 2025 when President Donald Trump signed H.R. 1 into law. Its future remains unclear, even after two federal judges, in separate rulings, ordered the money restored in late September.

Virginia was due to receive $156 million. According to a state Department of Energy official, the commonwealth had spent only $730,000, all on planning, before the new administration cut off the remaining funds. Virginia was among the recipients that chose to spend a year, starting in July 2024, designing a distribution plan before using the next four years to carry it out. "I 100% agree with how Virginia approached it," Praileau said. "But doing the right thing meant we were never able to draw down on the money because it was stripped away."

Virginia's Department of Energy was one of 60 entities, including states, territories, tribal nations and the nation's capital, set to receive Solar for All money. The Biden administration's Environmental Protection Agency estimated the program would help at least 900,000 households and save ratepayers nationwide more than $350 million on utility bills over five years ending in 2029.

Praileau, the Virginia program director for the nonprofit Solar United Neighbors, served on the state's 15-member Solar for All advisory group. The cancellation came as state energy officials were about to begin a second round of interviews with applicants seeking to coordinate projects. Solar United Neighbors, partnered with Greentech Renewables, was among them. Virginia's plan would have put $49 million toward rooftop solar on 6,400 single-family homes, each required to cut its electricity bill by at least 20%, and another $49 million toward solar and battery storage for 4,480 multifamily homes and apartments. The remaining $58 million was set aside for grid connections, workforce development and shared-solar projects.

In August 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency was halting the program. He wrote that the EPA "no longer has the statutory authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive." The Southern Environmental Law Center and other groups sued on behalf of Solar United Neighbors and labor and justice organizations.

In September, Judge Mary McElroy of the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island ruled that H.R. 1 did not turn Solar for All money into a lump sum subject to EPA discretion. McElroy, a Trump appointee, wrote that ending the program was "contrary to law and in excess of the EPA's authority." Later that month, Judge Tanya Chutkan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reached a similar conclusion in a separate suit brought on behalf of grant awardees. The EPA has 60 days to appeal and has not yet begun that process.

"Right now, we're at the mercy of EPA following through on these judges' orders," Praileau said. "But the money has been frozen. Even if EPA doesn't appeal, how long would it take to unfreeze it, or will they even comply with the orders at all?" Virginia's installation schedule had been set to run from December 2025 through December 2029.

Robin Dutta, executive director of the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association, said the loss closes off a chance to reach low-income communities that are traditionally harder to serve, from elderly homeowners to young families juggling multiple jobs. "It's not about our industry, but it is about what we are trying to do," Dutta said.

At his own church, Praileau said, the savings, along with battery storage added last year, let him create a contingency fund that helps congregants pay rent and expands ministry outreach. Saving $75 to $100 a month may not seem like much to some, he said, "But for those who are struggling, that could be the difference between getting affordable daycare, buying groceries or paying for medicine."