Surry County approves 89‑MW Bear Island battery storage CUP and site agreement with safety and payment conditions

The Surry County Board of Supervisors voted to approve Conditional Use Permit 2025‑01 and a related site agreement for Bear Island Storage LLC, authorizing an 89‑megawatt battery energy storage system and an associated switchyard on a portion of a 416‑acre parcel in the Bacon’s Castle District.

Staff presentation said the applicant proposes siting the storage and switchyard on about 32.5 acres of the parcel, with a facility footprint described in plans as roughly 10 acres and a retained vegetative buffer of at least 100 feet. Planning staff cited the Surry County Zoning Ordinance (Article 3, §3302) and Chesapeake Bay preservation area rules in recommending conditions, and noted the planning commission recommended the CUP 10–0.

The board approved the CUP and then separately approved a siting agreement that documents statutory machinery‑and‑tools (M&T) tax treatment and voluntary payments the applicant offered. Staff estimated the first‑year M&T payment at about $153,360 under Virginia law, and presented a long‑term model that, over several…