Glenn Youngkin on Energy & Oil

	Glenn Youngkin on Energy & Oil

The Virginia Clean Economy Act simply is not working

The Virginia Clean Economy Act, passed in 2020, simply is not working. To fix this, we need to nearly double our power generation in the next 10 years, and wind and solar aren't going to get it done. We must stop decommissioning our baseload generation, build more natural gas generation, lots of it, build small modular reactors and, yes, finish the projects currently underway. We must aggressively pursue innovative technologies...carbon capture, SMRs, fusion and hydrogen. Source: 2025 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature , Jan 13, 2025

Our "All of the Above" energy plan embraces everything

Key to economic growth is the fact that Virginia's power demand is growing at a rate five times that of our neighbors. The simple fact is that if we don't build capacity right now, Virginia will not grow. Innovation and base load power are key-- and our "All of the Above All American Energy" plan embraces everything--America's largest offshore wind development project...solar...hydrogen...nuclear...carbon capture....and natural gas. Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature , Jan 10, 2024

Let's set realistic carbon reduction goals every five years

Our new path forward will embrace the "and" and reject the "or" of energy politics. With our All-American, All-of-the-above approach, Virginians will get affordable AND reliable AND increasingly clean energy without being tied to unattainable long-term requirements. Let's set realistic carbon reduction goals every five years, as opposed to etching in stone 30 year plans based more on hope than reality. Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature , Jan 11, 2023

Energy plan is all of the above, not just renewables

I announced an energy plan which is all of the above. We've got to embrace all of it. It's not reducing an emphasis on renewables, wind and solar. It's correcting an error that was made in the previous administration's energy plan, which was to exclude everything else. We're going to have to adopt all of them in order to get where we want to be, which is reliable, affordable, and a clean power stack. Source: CNN SOTU interviews on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race , Oct 9, 2022

Shift from fossil fuels will increase electric bills

Youngkin said that the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act is "unworkable" and that he wouldn't have signed it. The law set a 2050 deadline for the grid to go carbon-free, mandated that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy propose large amounts of solar and wind facilities, and imposed binding energy efficiency and renewable portfolio standards on both utilities, among other provisions.

He said Virginia should "embrace all aspects of power generation--wind, solar, nuclear and our clean-burning natural gas" and warned that accelerating the transition to renewables would result in "blackouts and brownouts and an unreliable energy grid." He criticized the cost of shifting away from fossil fuels, saying it will increase customers' electric bills by up to $1,000 annually. (State regulators agree that it will raise rates but estimated a slightly lower rise of $800 a year.)

Source: Virginia Mercury on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial debate , Nov 1, 2021

Climate change challenging, but doesn't know what causes it

Youngkin meanwhile has walked a careful line on the subject, despite a broad scientific consensus that carbon emissions are a primary driver of climate change. Youngkin said that while he knew climate change is a challenge, he didn't know what's causing it. Asked if "humans play any role at all in the warming of the earth," he skirted the question and called it "one of these topics that, candidly, people are trying to use to divide people." Source: Virginia Mercury on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial debate , Nov 1, 2021

Click here for definitions & background information on Energy & Oil. Click here for a summary of all issue stances of Glenn Youngkin. Click here for a Wikipedia profile of Glenn Youngkin. Click here for a Ballotpedia profile of Glenn Youngkin. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Glenn Youngkin. Click here for issue positions of other VA politicians. Click here for VA primary archives. Click here for VA secondary archives.
*Other governors on Energy & Oil:*			*Glenn Youngkin on other issues:*
*VA Gubernatorial:* Jennifer Carroll Foy Jennifer McClellan Justin Fairfax Kirk Cox Lee Carter Mark Herring Pete Snyder Ralph Northam Terry McAuliffe *VA Senatorial:* Amanda Chase Daniel Gade Hung Cao Mark Warner Nick Freitas Scott Parkinson Scott Taylor Tim Kaine	*Gubernatorial races 2025:* *New Jersey Governor:* Democratic primary June 10, 2025: Ras Baraka, Mayor of Newark (2014-present) Steven Fulop, Mayor of Jersey City (2013-present) Josh Gottheimer, U.S. Rep. NJ-5 (since 2017) Mikie Sherrill, U.S. Rep. NJ-11 (since 2019) Stephen Sweeney, N.J.Senate President (2010-2022) Republican primary June 10, 2025: Jon Bramnick, State Senator (since 2022); Minority Leader (2012-2022) Jack Ciattarelli, State Assemblyman (2011-2018), governor nominee (2021) Edward Durr, State Senator 3rd district (2022-2024); withdrew *Virginia Governor:* Democratic primary June 17 cancelled: Abigail Spanberger, U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024); Dem. nominee 2025 Levar Stoney, VA Secretary of the Commonwealth (2014-2016); (withdrew to run for Lt. Gov.) Republican primary June 17 cancelled: Winsome Earle-Sears, Lt. Gov. since 2022; GOP nominee 2025 Amanda Chase, State Senate District 11 (2016-2023); failed to make ballot Denver Riggleman, U.S.Rep. (R-VA-5); exploratory committee as Independent Glenn Youngkin, Incumbent Governor , (2022-2025), term-limited	*Mayoral races 2025:* *NYC Mayor Democratic primary June 24, 2025:* Adrienne Adams, speaker of the City Council Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York, 2011-2021. Republican June 24 primary cancelled; general election Nov. 4: Eric Adams, incumbent Democratic mayor running as an independent Jim Walden, Independent; Former assistant U.S. Attorney Curtis Sliwa, Republican; CEO of the Guardian Angels *Jersey City Mayor (Non-partisan)* Non-partisan general election Nov. 4: Mussab Ali, former president of the Jersey City Board of Education Bill O'Dea, Hudson County commissioner (since 1997) Jim McGreevey, former N.J. Governor (2002-2004) James Solomon, city councilor (since 2017) Joyce Watterman, president of the Jersey City Council (since 2023) *Oakland CA Mayor* Non-partisan special election April 14, 2025: Barbara Lee, U.S.Rep CA-12 (1998-2025) Loren Taylor, Oakland City Council (2019-2023), lost general election Sheng Thao, Oakland Mayor, lost recall election Nov. 5, 2024	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]