Dominion to Expand Solar Power Generating Facilities
Power producer Dominion aims to increase its renewable energy fleet. On May 1st, Dominion Virginia Power published a new energy plan for the next 15 years, targeting at add 3.2GW of solar power facilities. On the other hand, Dominion has also acquired new solar power plant in North Carolina this week.
Carbon reduction plan
Dominion Virginia Power declared in its press release that it will add 3.2GW of solar power fleet from 2018 to 2032, and will ultimately add 5.2GW of solar over the next 25 years. With this approach, the carbon footprint for a typical Dominion Virginia Power customer would shrink by as much as 25% over the next eight years.
By 2032, Dominion Virginia Power expects to power about 800,000 customers through solar power, and by 2043 to power about 1.3 million homes.
As for Dominion’s 15-year plan, the company plans to add at least 990MW of solar generation facilities in North Carolina and Virginia by 2020, to add 1,374MW of gas power facilities by 2030. The company will also test two offshore wind turbines, totaling 12MW, out of Virginia’s coast before 2021.
An energy management service will also be implemented to Dominion’s customers so that the consumers can save as much as 1,200GWh of power consumption by 2032. Today, Dominion overseas 16.2GW of electricity generating capacity in 11 states.
“For the first time, the subsidized costs of utility-scale universal solar power are expected to be low enough to make it a component of future generation additions at reasonable cost to our customers,” Paul Koonce, CEO of Dominion Generation Group, said in announcing the company’s annual Integrated Resource Plan. “This plan also highlights the vital roles of natural gas and nuclear generation. Gas-fired generation is clean, dependable and provides balance to the variable energy flows from solar and wind. Nuclear, with its 24/7 operations and no-carbon emissions, provides a solid base for a low-carbon future.”
He stated, “We believe this balance of solar, natural gas and nuclear hits the sweet spot in terms of cost, environmental performance and reliability for our customers.”
Acquisition of large-scale solar facility
On May 4th, Dominion announced to acquire a 79MW solar energy facility under construction in North Carolina from Cypree Creek Renewables. The facility has been covered by a power purchase agreement.
Dominion’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Dominion Energy, will take over the construction after the acquisition. The facility is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2017.
The company has 535MW of solar generating capacity under development or in operation in North Carolina and Virginia. Dominion’s North Carolina solar fleet also includes the 20MW Morgans Corner array in Pasquotank County and the 60MW Summit Farms facility in Currituck County.
(Photo: Dominion’s Louisa solar facility. Source: Dominion)
