Chesterfield County residents challenge Dominion Energy’s permit to build gas plant

Chesterfield County residents are making sure their voices are heard about a proposed gas plant near the Dutch Gap Conservation Area.

A number of people opposing the Dominion Energy plant, to be co-located with the existing Chesterfield Power Station, delivered testimony and a notice of legal challenge to the Board of Supervisors last week.

Three residents filed a legal challenge after the Board of Zoning Appeals declined to hear their appeal in the fall.

“Dominion Energy is attempting to force through this behemoth project without seeking the necessary approvals, and county administrators have shown little interest in hearing our side of the argument,” said Glen Besa, one of three resident petitioners in the case and board chair of Friends of Chesterfield.

Friends of Chesterfield was formed in 2023 in response to Dominion Energy’s proposed 1000-megawatt methane gas power plant.

 “We’re prepared to take this as far as necessary to ensure the voices of those most impacted by this project are heard,” Besa said.

The proposed Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center is being treated by the county as falling under an existing permit issued in 2010 for the now-retired coal plant, according to a news release from Friends of Chesterfield.

Dominion Energy should be required to seek a new conditional use permit for the project, according to one senior attorney.

“The County’s zoning ordinance requires that these permits be tailored to a specific facility,  and the facts surrounding this plant were simply not part of the Board of Supervisors deliberations when the original permit was approved,” said Evan Johns with Appalachian Mountain Advocates. “This case is the next logical step in challenging the county’s unwillingness to apply its own ordinance.”

County residents are concerned about electricity costs, risks to health and environmental impacts.

Dominion Energy said the plant will benefit the community with construction jobs and tax revenues. Once the plant is in operation, there should be approximately 35 local jobs.

The facility would serve as a power generation source when other sources are unavailable or insufficient to meet energy needs, Dominion reports.

The project is still in the permitting process at this time. If approved, construction would likely begin in 2026 with operations slated to start in 2029.