Dominion Virginia Power will soon add more solar power to its generation portfolio. The company is partnering with SunEnergy1 to install 91,803 solar panels at a new solar farm in Chesapeake – enough to power 5,000 homes. SunEnergy1, a North Carolina-based company, will lease the 250 acre site, located off Ballahack Road and U.S. Highway 17. Dominion will purchase the output of the facility, including energy, capacity and renewable energy credits, under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
“Our commitment to solar energy is an important part of the future of our state,” said Katheryn Curtis, Dominion’s senior vice president of Power Generation. “This partnership with SunEnergy1 is another significant step forward for Dominion as we plan for a low-carbon, balanced and diverse generation mix.”
Dominion is one of the nation’s leading producers of solar among publicly-traded utility companies according to SNL Financial,Feb. 4, 2015. Solar is a key component of Dominion’s clean energy growth. In addition to this solar project in Chesapeake, Dominion has several other solar partnerships underway in Hampton Roads including:
- Isle of Wight County, 19MW Woodland Solar Center (subject to regulatory approval)
- Chesapeake, Western Branch High School, 1MW system on its rooftop
- Landstown High School in Virginia Beach, 1kW ground-mounted system
- Norfolk, Old Dominion University, 125kW system at student recreation center
SunEnergy1 is one of the leading commercial solar energy companies in the United States. It has extensive experience in developing and operating photovoltaic (PV) solar systems.
“At SunEnergy1, we design and construct solar facilities with first class quality and unmatched reliability,” said Kenny Habul, SunEnergy1 president and CEO. “We are proud to partner with Dominion to bring new solar solutions to Virginia.”
Virginia native and stock car racing star Denny Hamlin is partnering with SunEnergy1 as an investor in the project through Hamlin’s Won One Energy company.
“I see this as a great opportunity to invest in the energy future of Virginia,” said Hamlin, a 26-time winner on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. “Solar is a fast-growing, renewable energy solution that is establishing a larger footprint across the energy industry. As a Virginian, I am proud of Dominion and SunEnergy1 for bringing utility scale solar to the state.”
The Chesapeake solar farm will be a ground-mounted tracking PV system. Commercial operations are expected to begin later this year.
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Chris Graham
