Dominion Virginia Power to partner with Capital One on solar energy project

Dominion Virginia Power said Monday that it has selected Capital One's Chester facility to house the first ground-mounted solar energy system in Central Virginia. The installation of nearly 2,500 solar panels will generate about 500 kilowatts of electricity at peak, enough to power about 125 homes.

“We are pleased to partner with Capital One in expanding solar energy in the Commonwealth,” Ken Barker, vice president of Technical Solutions, said in a statement. “Dominion's solar energy programs are even more viable when companies like Capital One demonstrate their full support for our renewable energy.”

The project is part of Dominion Virginia Power's Solar Partnership Program. Under the program, Dominion leases rooftop or ground space at commercial, industrial or public facilities for the installation of solar panels. The energy generated by the solar panels is delivered to the power grid. 

As part of the program, Dominion is authorized to construct and operate up to 30 megawatts of company-owned solar facilities on leased rooftops or on the grounds of commercial businesses and public properties throughout the company's Virginia service area. When fully implemented, the facilities will be able to generate enough power for up to 7,500 homes.

Dominion has already completed rooftop solar installations at the Canon Industrial Resource Technologies facility in Gloucester and at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.
The company also has 14 merchant solar-generation projects either in service or under construction, totaling 232 megawatts. The solar sites are located in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana and Tennessee.

PowerSecure, a North Carolina-based company with offices in Virginia, has been selected as the engineering, procurement and construction company.