Dominion Energy proposes solar, energy storage projects

As it works towards a state mandate for producing electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045, Dominion Energy Virginia has acquired a 20-megawatt battery storage facility in Chesterfield County from Charlottesville-based energy storage developer East Point Energy, according to a Sept. 16 announcement from the Richmond-based Fortune 500 utility.

The Dry Bridge Energy Storage project is expected to be the largest battery storage project in the state when it becomes operational in 2022 and will be capable of providing power for 5,000 homes at its peak usage, according to East Point Energy.

Dominion Energy Inc. is subject to the state’s 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act, which requires 100% of the utility’s electricity in the state to be generated from clean energy sources by 2045. To achieve that goal, Dominion must have a minimum of 2,700 megawatts of energy storage capacity by 2035.

As part of its move toward achieving the state’s VCEA mandate, Dominion has proposed 11 new utility-scale solar projects, two small-scale distributed solar projects and a combined solar and storage project, in addition to the Dry Bridge project, according to Dominion’s second annual clean energy filing with the State Corporation Commission. Each of the projects will also require local and state permits before construction may begin.

If approved, Dominion’s combined solar and storage project, which would be located in Loudoun County and called Dulles Solar and Storage, would produce 100 megawatts of solar and possess 50 megawatts of storage capacity.

The proposal to the SCC includes power purchase agreements from 32 solar and energy projects operated by third-party providers. The projects will jointly provide more than 1,000 megawatts of carbon-free electricity, which would power more than 250,000 homes, according to Dominion. The distributed solar projects are expected to be completed in 2022 and the remaining projects will be completed in 2023.

The utility-scale solar projects are:

• Camelia Solar, 20 megawatts, in Gloucester County
• Fountain Creek Solar, 80 megawatts, in Greensville County
• Otter Creek Solar, 60 megawatts, in Mecklenburg County
• Piney Creek Solar, 80 megawatts, in Halifax County
• Quilwort Solar, 18 megawatts, in Powhatan County
• Sebera Solar, 18 megawatts, in Prince George County
• Solidago Solar, 20 megawatts, in Isle of Wight County
• Sweet Sue Solar, 75 megawatts, in King William County
• Walnut Solar, 150 megawatts, in King & Queen County
• Winterberry Solar, 20 megawatts, in Gloucester County
• Winterpeck Solar, 20 megawatts, in Chesterfield County

Small-scale distributed solar:

• Black Bear Solar, 1.8 megawatts, in Buckingham County
• Springfield Solar, 2 megawatts, in Westmoreland County