Dominion Energy, headquartered in Virginia, has submitted a comprehensive proposal to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) for the development of 772MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity within the state.
The proposal encompasses six projects, with Dominion either owning or acquiring these installations, totaling 337MW. Additionally, it includes 13 power purchase agreements (PPAs) accounting for 435MW, collaborating with independently-owned solar projects.
The projects in Dominion's ownership range in size from 3MW to 127MW, with construction slated for completion between 2024 and 2026, subject to SCC approval and local and state permitting. These projects are as follows:
- 3MW Alberta Solar in Brunswick County
- 57MW Beldale Solar in Powhatan County
- 95MW Blue Ridge Solar in Pittsylvania County
- 127MW Bookers Mill Solar in Richmond County
- 50MW Michaux Solar in Henry & Pittsylvania County
- 5MW Peppertown Solar in Hanover County
Ed Baine, President of Dominion Energy Virginia, emphasized the significance of these projects in advancing their clean energy goals, stating, “These projects support our ongoing efforts to deliver reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy to our customers. They will also bring jobs and economic benefits to communities across the Commonwealth.”
If approved, these projects will expand Dominion's solar portfolio in Virginia to exceed 4.6GW. Notably, in July, the utility entered into a series of PPAs with German energy company RWE, securing 266MW of PV capacity in the state.
This move aligns with Dominion's commitment to clean energy, following its previous favorable SCC approvals for 800MW of solar and storage capacity across two dozen projects in Virginia.
It is worth noting that Dominion anticipates a modest increase of $1.54 in the average residential monthly bill as a result of these new projects. Such rate base adjustments are commonly employed by utilities to recoup investments in large-scale initiatives.
Virginia ranks as the fourth-largest solar PV market in the United States by installed capacity, according to a recent report by the Berkeley Lab. Furthermore, as a state within the PJM Interconnection, Virginia presents a significant opportunity for renewable energy and storage investment. The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) identified a 43.7GW backlog of renewables and storage interconnection projects in Virginia, amounting to a potential $8.52 billion investment opportunity—the largest among all PJM states, with the Interconnection's total backlog estimated at $33 billion.
