The Law Now Requires Emergency Backup Power for Assisted Living Facilities in Virginia

April 16, 2019

A new law was enacted in February – Senate Bill No. 1077 –  introduced by Sen. Howell and signed yesterday by Gov. Northam.  The legislation requires all assisted living facilities in Virginia to install and maintain adequately sized emergency generators or have the capability to accept mobile generators.  We applaud VA’s disaster preparedness planning, but do wonder why the article in the Augusta Free Press goes on to say that portable diesel generators will play a “dominant role” as the “technology of choice”.  Nowhere in the legislation does it mandate the use of diesel generators as the required technology to meet the backup power needs of these facilities.  Virginia is a beautiful state, with a DOE Clean City Initiative, why would they want to further pollute the air with dirty and noisy generators, especially near an assisted living facility?  Hydrogen fuel cell technology is a clean, reliable and cost effective solution perfectly suited for critical power applications when the grid fails.