10/08/2026
Governor Spanberger Announces $67 Million for Home Energy Efficiency Projects to Lower Energy Bills for Virginians
Virginians Can Apply for Funding to Support Home Weatherization Repairs & Upgrades Through Their Local Weatherization Assistance Program Provider
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced the release of more than $67 million in available Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) funds that were previously withheld by the Youngkin Administration. These funds will help families across Virginia lower their monthly energy bills by making their homes safer and more energy efficient.
“Investing in energy efficiency is one of the most effective and impactful ways to lower monthly energy costs for Virginians,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “These services lower high energy costs for families, improve indoor health and safety, and support long-term housing stability across the state.”
The Commonwealth’s Weatherization Deferral Repair (WDR) program supports repairs to Virginians’ homes — fixing leaking roofs, repairing structural issues, making electrical and plumbing repairs, and addressing mold, moisture issues, or water damage. The funding will support critical repairs to more than 1,000 homes in the Commonwealth. Receiving $15 million through the RGGI, the program also helps Virginians access additional energy efficiency savings through the federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) by making their homes “weatherization-ready” and providing access to new insulation, air sealing, energy efficient light bulbs, and carbon monoxide detectors.
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) manages both the WDR program and the WAP through a statewide network of 15 weatherization providers. DHCD uses RGGI proceeds it receives for two programs: the WDR and the Affordable and Special Needs Housing program, which received $52 million in previously withheld RGGI funding to incorporate enhanced energy-efficiency standards into the construction, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of affordable housing.
In rejoining RGGI, Governor Spanberger and the General Assembly established new bill credits for residential customers and small businesses that will directly offset the cost of RGGI for families and small businesses in the near-term. This enables communities to continue to benefit from investments from RGGI proceeds — expected to be in the hundreds of millions for Virginia over the next two years — without additional cost. Across the RGGI program, the $5.7 billion in auction proceeds invested in energy efficiency and clean energy programs to date are projected to yield $22.6 billion in total bill savings for consumers.
“Having these additional funds for critical repairs will allow us to serve more Virginians whose homes are in need of energy efficiency upgrades,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery. “Having RGGI proceeds allows us to both serve more homes and take on previously cost-prohibitive repairs for greater impact. Under Governor Spanberger’s leadership, we are leveraging resources for a more efficient, affordable, and healthier Virginia.”
“The Weatherization Deferral Repair Program has an established delivery network, and we stand ready to use these additional funds immediately to ensure continuity of services for eligible households,” said Director of DHCD Tamarah Holmes, Ph.D. “As we enter the next 50 years of weatherization work, we are committed to expanding capacity, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring every eligible household can benefit from these life-changing services.”
Virginians can apply for funding to support home weatherization repairs and upgrades through their local weatherization subgrantee, and can click here to find the provider for their area. Click here for additional information about the WDR.
This announcement comes after Governor Spanberger released the 2026 Virginia Energy Plan which lays out pathways to deliver affordable, reliable energy to families, protect the Commonwealth’s natural resources, and power Virginia’s next decade of economic growth. Governor Spanberger’s Affordable Virginia Agenda — the entirety of which passed the General Assembly and the Governor signed into law earlier this year — included legislation to establish a Virginia Weatherization Task Force to improve energy efficiency. As part of Virginia’s bipartisan state budget, the Governor signed into law $25 million to implement task force initiatives.
