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Urban Grid tells Halifax supervisors Alton post office solar plant is operating; says subcontractor nonpayment being handled by surety
Summary
Representatives for Urban Grid told the board the Alton Post Office solar facility has been producing power since December 2024 and that Urban Grid paid the general contractor; the company acknowledged some subcontractors remain unpaid and said it is working with the payment bond/surety to resolve claims.
An Urban Grid representative told the Halifax County Board of Supervisors that the Alton Post Office solar facility is operational and that Urban Grid is engaging a surety provider to address unpaid subcontractor invoices tied to the general contractor, Blue Ridge Power (BRP).
Reading a letter placed in the board packet, the Urban Grid representative said the facility “has been generating clean, reliable power since December 2024” and that Urban Grid “paid Blue Ridge Power in full for its contracted work.” The representative said BRP subsequently failed to pay certain subcontractors and vendors after announcing a wind-down of operations.
“Importantly, the project is protected by a payment bond designed specifically to ensure that subcontractors and vendors are made whole in situations such as this,” the representative said, adding that Urban Grid is actively engaging the surety and unpaid subcontractors to expedite payments.
Board members asked whether subcontractors should seek payment directly from the surety and whether BRP remains on site. The representative said BRP is no longer operating on Urban Grid properties and that Urban Grid is working with the bond provider and its legal team to resolve outstanding vendor claims. When asked to quantify Urban Grid’s financial position, the representative said Urban Grid is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Renewable (acquired in 2022) and offered to provide additional financial detail later.
Supervisors also raised site-completion issues such as promised buffering and landscaping that remain incomplete; the Urban Grid representative acknowledged the shortfall, attributed some plant failures to drought conditions and pledged to provide a timeline for finishing the buffer work.
The board did not take direct action on the solar project at the meeting; Urban Grid said it would follow up with the county and affected subcontractors.
