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Planning commission forwards Dominion battery storage plan in Remington, amid groundwater and fire safety questions
Summary
The commission recommended a 100‑MWh battery energy storage system at the Remington Power Station be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors with amended conditions addressing setbacks, screening, emergency response, fire monitoring, and pre/post‑construction road evaluations; speakers raised concerns about groundwater, long‑term monitoring, and firefighting capacity.
The Planning Commission voted to forward a special exception amendment for a 100‑megawatt‑hour (4‑hour) battery energy storage system (BESS) on the Remington Power Station parcel to the Board of Supervisors with amended conditions addressing setbacks, screening, decommissioning, emergency response and construction monitoring.
Planning staff described the proposed BESS as a tier‑2 system occupying roughly 17 acres outside the existing power station boundary, bringing total developed acreage to about 72 acres. The application proposes about 174 individual enclosures and a 230 kV substation interconnection to the existing switch yard. Staff recommended conditions limiting the developed area, requiring a 25‑foot setback from wetlands and floodplain, vegetative screening along Lucky Hill Road, pre‑ and post‑construction road evaluations, and submission of an emergency response plan and decommissioning plan as part of the site plan.
Dominion Energy’s senior business development manager, Ron Hart, described the system’s role in improving grid reliability, PJM’s fast‑track interconnection, and a suite of safety measures: 24/7 battery management systems, NFPA and UL standards compliance, spatial separation between battery groups, fire and gas detection, and active/passive venting and suppression features. Mr. Hart also said Dominion will provide training to contractors and first responders and submit an emergency response plan with the final site plan. He stated the project could generate approximately $9 million in cumulative county revenue over an anticipated 20‑year useful life, contingent on property reassessment and taxation.
Members of the public urged caution. Residents raised concerns about groundwater, possible leakage and long‑term contamination, and the adequacy of local firefighting resources and review of fire plans. One speaker asked whether Remington or Warrenton fire departments had been consulted and who would review the fire protection plans; commissioners said such coordination and review would be part of site plan and permitting processes.
After questions and discussion about screening, floodplain setbacks, and monitoring during construction, the Planning Commission moved to forward the Remington BESS special exception to the Board of Supervisors with amended conditions.
