Dominion Energy briefs Nottoway supervisors as county considers loosening solar ordinance

Dominion Energy representatives told the Nottoway County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 13 that access to transmission lines, long interconnection study backlogs and state regulatory approval are the leading constraints on utility-scale solar and battery projects.

The presentation, led by Justin Pope of Dominion’s external affairs group and Brandon Martin, business development manager, framed the technical and economic trade-offs the board asked about as it prepares ordinance amendments and a public hearing on solar siting.

Pope said the company prefers transmission-connected sites for larger projects and that distribution-connected projects are more common under 25 megawatts. "For a transmission connected solar energy storage would be generally 25 megawatts or or greater," Martin said, and added a rule of thumb of about "10 or 12 acres per megawatt." Pope and Martin also told supervisors that developers typically seek projects within about one mile of a transmission line where practicable.

Dominion warned that interconnection studies performed by PJM, the regional transmission organization, are in a backlog and can delay projects for years. "If I got excited about a project today and I said, PJM, I want you to study it. Well, odds are the studies would not be completed until 2027," Pope said, adding that required network upgrades could take an additional three to four years.

On local policy, board members discussed several draft ordinance items. The current draft retains a 300-foot setback baseline but allows waivers for adjoining parcels owned or controlled by the applicant; supervisors discussed allowing a reduced setback with the adjoining owner's permission. Discussion also focused on an existing 50-acre cap in the ordinance; several supervisors supported removing the 50-acre limit and referencing a countywide cap cited by Dominion of 1,700 acres in the comprehensive plan, with a first-come, first-served approach mentioned as an option.

Dominion addressed questions on environmental and operational issues. Pope said Dominion seeks to own or exercise purchase options for many energy-storage sites and that the company requires projects it acquires to meet its construction and environmental standards. On decommissioning and recycling, the company said options are developing and that projects typically include decommissioning plans; "The goal is to keep all the topsoil on the land," Pope said. On fires and emergency planning, Dominion said it conducts site familiarization and periodic training with local fire departments and that most vendors and equipment are vetted to meet its safety and cybersecurity standards.

Supervisors asked about local revenue and payments. Dominion said counties can negotiate siting agreements and revenue-share terms; Pope cited a ballpark revenue-share figure he said was about "$1,400 a megawatt" (as discussed during the meeting) while noting terms are negotiable. He also said that counties generally receive payments tied to permit or siting milestones as well as ongoing payments once a site is producing power.

Why it matters: the board is preparing ordinance amendments that will go to a public hearing. Supervisors said they want clearer calculations to support any comprehensive-plan cap and want to preserve property rights and local revenue without unduly risking agricultural land or exposing the county to developer failures.

Discussion points: board members asked about setbacks from residences and roads, required water retention/ponding and whether the county should restrict developers to those that meet Dominion’s standards. Dominion advised counties to consider setbacks, buffer options and where to site projects relative to transmission corridors.

The board did not vote on the ordinance changes at the session; staff said the amendments will be finalized for a March public hearing on the ordinance.