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McAuliffe announces new solar project in King William County

Chris Graham

Governor McAuliffe this week announced the permit for a new solar facility to be built in King William County.

dominion energyDominion Energy received authorization from the Department of Environmental Quality to construct and operate a solar farm, Hollyfield Solar, on October 2, 2017. The 17 megawatt (MW) project, under development by Dominion Energy, will supply enough electricity to power over 4,000 homes.

“Once complete, the new King William facility will allow thousands of Virginians to sustainably power their homes and businesses,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe. “This latest announcement is a testament to how rapidly Virginia’s solar sector is growing. Solar energy is essential to bringing the energy diversity our Commonwealth needs for businesses, families, and taxpayers as we work to build a new Virginia economy. We will continue to support investments in solar energy infrastructure that will bring low-cost, renewable energy to all corners of the commonwealth.”

Once complete, the project is anticipated to offset the generation of 20,085 tons of carbon dioxide, 14 tons of nitrogen oxides, and 16 tons of sulfur dioxide. The Hollyfield Solar project is owned by Dominion Energy, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Richmond-based Dominion Resources.

Governor McAuliffe is an active supporter of renewable energy and Virginia’s solar industry. Since he took office, the commonwealth has seen a ten-fold increase in its installed solar capacity, growing from 17 MW in 2014 to nearly 200 MW at the end of 2016. This rapid growth is expected to continue as Virginia currently has 2,600 MW of solar in service or under development.

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].