Dominion Energy to sell W.Va. utility for $690M
Dominion Energy Inc. announced Friday it had signed a definitive agreement to sell its West Virginia natural gas utility to Washington, D.C.-based financial services company Ullico Inc.’s infrastructure business for $690 million. The sale of Hope Gas Inc., also known as Dominion Energy West Virginia (DEWV), is expected to clos[...]
Volkswagen to debut electric Microbus at SXSW
Herndon-based Volkswagen Group of America announced Wednesday that it would debut its electric bus during this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, which will be held March 11-20 in Austin, Texas. Designed to recall the iconic Type 2 Microbus introduced in 1967, the ID. Buzz is Volkswagen’s second noncommercial ele[...]
Va. Senate rejects former EPA chief for Cabinet
The Virginia Senate voted Tuesday to reject Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s appointment for state secretary of natural and historic resources, former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler. Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter said in a statement, “It’s clear Mr. Wheeler is extraordinarily qualified to be [...]
Port of Va. hires offshore wind development VP
Patrick Kinsman, former CEO and commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Norfolk District, has been hired as the Port of Virginia’s new vice president of offshore wind development. Kinsman will oversee Portsmouth Marine Terminal’s conversion to a logistics hub. Simeans Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A. is inve[...]
Va. Senate committee rejects former EPA chief for Cabinet
The Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted 9-6 Tuesday against confirming former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s appointment for state secretary of natural and historic resources. The vote does not eliminate Wheeler’s chances of confirmation. Youngkin spok[...]
30 Va. projects awarded $24.5M in flood prep grants
The Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund has awarded $24.5 million in grants for 30 projects statewide, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. “The Community Flood Preparedness Fund will provide an estimated $75 million a year to improve the resilience of our commonwealth, including targeted funding for Virginia’s most vulnerable and underserved communities,” Northam said in a […][...]
Dominion orders 176 turbines from Siemens Gamesa
Dominion Energy Inc. has ordered 176 offshore wind turbines from Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A. for its 2.6-gigawatt, $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the utility announced Monday. The Richmond-based Fortune 500 utility declined to release financial details of the contract. The SG 14-222 DD turbines —[...]
Q&A: Quebec official discusses Va. trade mission
Quebec’s delegate general in New York, Martine Hébert, visited Virginia this week on a trip to strengthen economic relations between her province and the commonwealth. Appointed in August by Quebec Premier François Legault and based out of New York, Hébert is responsible for promoting the province’s economic interests in [...]
Southwest Va. project will help manufacturers enter wind energy supply chain
Public-private campaign InvestSWVA announced Tuesday the launch of an economic development initiative designed to help Southwest Virginia manufacturers find entry points in the supply chain for wind energy equipment components. The initiative, called Project Veer, will connect Southwest Virginia manufacturers with industry exper[...]
Dominion reports increases in diverse hiring over past 5 years
Dominion Energy Inc. released its first public diversity, equity and inclusion report on Friday, reporting increases in gender and racial diversity among employees hired between 2016 and 2020. With a goal of reaching 40% in diverse workforce representation — meaning hires of women and non-white people — by 2026, the Richmond[...]
BWXT to invest $65M in new Campbell County campus
Lynchburg-based nuclear components and fuel supplier BWX Technologies Inc. (BWXT) will build out and upfit a center for manufacturing and research and development adjacent to its Campbell County facility, creating 97 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. The Fortune 1000 company plans to invest $65 million over the next thr[...]
SCC approves Dominion settlement, refunding $330M to customers
The State Corporation Commission approved a settlement with Dominion Energy Virginia in which the Richmond-based utility will refund customers $330 million and reduce rates annually by $50 million, the SCC announced Thursday. For a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month, the rate reduction will result in a dec[...]