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Delaware · 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) · Bill

HB 470: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS.

Passed one chamber Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 470 is a bill introduced in the Delaware House on June 4, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS. Primary sponsor: Ed Osienski (Democratic), Debra Heffernan (Democratic), Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic), Jack Walsh (Democratic). It lists 4 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (June 18, 2026): Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

This Act adds a definition of “utility battery energy storage system” to Chapter 10 of Title 26 of the Delaware Code. Under the definition of “utility battery energy storage system,” battery storage systems that store electricity from the electric grid and discharge the electricity at a later time are not considered generation or a generation unit for electricity when owned and operated by a public electric utility. This Act also authorizes Delmarva Power to own and operate battery energy storage systems after appropriate review and approval by the Delaware Public Service Commission. To mitigate any cost shifts or negative impacts on ratepayers, the Act requires Delmarva Power to make best efforts to maximize all applicable value streams from any battery energy storage systems, including participating in applicable PJM markets and utilizing its battery energy storage systems to realize potential savings through distribution-level services.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 6 · Republican 2

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Ed OsienskiPrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse24
Debra HeffernanPrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse6
Melissa Minor-BrownPrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse17
Jack WalshPrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate9
Bill CarsonCo-sponsorDemocraticHouse28
Rich CollinsCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse41
Kerri HarrisCo-sponsorDemocraticHouse32
Lyndon YearickCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse34

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate
  2. Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 2 ABSENT
  3. Amendment HA 3 to HB 470 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
  4. Amendment HA 3 to HB 470 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
  5. Amendment HA 2 to HB 470 - Stricken in House
  6. Amendment HA 1 to HB 470 - Stricken in House
  7. Amendment HA 2 to HB 470 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
  8. Amendment HA 1 to HB 470 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
  9. Reported Out of Committee (Natural Resources & Energy) in House with 8 On Its Merits
  10. Introduced and Assigned to Natural Resources & Energy Committee in House

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source