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Prince Edward supervisors reject 1,200-acre Gabriel Energy solar and battery plan after lengthy public hearing
Summary
After hours of public comment and presentations from the developer and technical experts, the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors voted to deny a special-use application for the proposed Gabriel Energy 80 MW solar farm and accompanying battery storage system.
Prince Edward County supervisors voted on March 11 to deny a special-use permit for Gabriel Energy’s proposed utility-scale solar project, a plan that would have placed solar arrays and a battery energy storage system across roughly 1,200 acres in the Lee District.
The application drew hours of public testimony from more than 70 people who signed up to speak—neighbors who opposed the project and landowners who supported it. Energix (developer) representatives presented technical, economic and safety information and said the project would include pollinator plantings, sheep grazing (agrivoltaics), and US-made panels with a decommissioning bond. First Solar described its thin-film cadmium-telluride panels and recycling program. Developers and engineers also described stormwater controls, wildlife corridors and a battery energy storage system (BESS) sited at the on-site substation.
The meeting’s mood shifted as dozens of residents described viewshed, environmental, noise and…
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