Chickahominy Power LLC announced on Thursday the cancellation of its as-yet-unbuilt Chickahominy Power Station, a 1,600-megawatt power plant that would have been serviced with a gas pipeline cutting through five counties in Central Virginia.
In a statement on the company’s website, Chickahominy Power indicated that it is relocating its development effort to West Virginia and/or Ohio where it has started the process of site selection and air permitting.
“We wish to thank the many Charles City County citizens and officials that supported our 5+ year effort to bring this project to a successful conclusion,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, opposition from outside interests and regulations, largely advanced by the renewable energy industry and state legislators that supported them, made it impossible to deliver natural gas to the site.
“With current events unfolding in Europe, it is clear to see that renewable energy cannot meet the needs of consumers. We wish the citizens of Charles City County well and hope that ultimately, economic activity and growth will arrive there.”
Southern Environmental Law Center Senior Attorney Greg Buppert released the following statement on the cancellation of the Chickahominy Power Station.
“As the cost of clean energy continues to decline — and the cost of gas projects continues to climb — the Chickahominy Power Station and its associated pipeline would have been a backwards-looking investment. On behalf of our clients Concerned Citizens of Charles City County, Hanover Citizens Against A Pipeline, Appalachian Voices, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation, we fought for greater transparency from an ill-conceived, poorly planned project that would have routed a methane pipeline right through the heart of Virginia.
“We will continue to experience spikes in energy costs as long as we are dependent on fossil fuels like oil and so-called ‘natural’ gas, whose prices are determined by a global market. To achieve true energy independence, we must transition to clean, homegrown energy sources like wind and solar, which will never run out and which provide a stable, low-cost energy supply that stands in sharp contrast with the enormous price volatility of gas.
“On behalf of our clients, we are glad to see the project canceled, and will remain vigilant about any further plans with the potential to harm communities in the Commonwealth.”
Story by Chris Graham
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Chris Graham
