Lunenburg supervisors defer decision on Dominion Energy’s substation permit amendment

Dominion Energy asked the Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 12 to remove a condition requiring test wells around a planned 230/500kV transmission "Unity" substation, saying the project already has Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) approval and will not harm groundwater.

Ms. Heather McQuain of Dominion Energy told the Board the company would conduct DEQ-required weekly testing during construction and that materials used in an electric transmission substation differ from those in solar facilities, noting the project would use mineral oil on site. County Attorney Frank Rennie said groundwater-testing conditions are standard practice for conditional use permits involving land disturbance and had been recommended by the Planning Commission; he added the Board may remove the condition if the applicant demonstrates it has been satisfied.

After the presentation, Ms. McQuain asked the Board to defer action so Dominion and county representatives could continue discussions about condition eight. Supervisor Frank W. Bacon moved, seconded by Supervisor T. Wayne Hoover, to defer a decision until the following month; the motion was unanimously approved.

The deferral leaves the permit conditions in place for now while staff and the applicant negotiate whether the county’s groundwater-testing requirement can be waived or documented as satisfied.

The Board is scheduled to revisit the matter at its next regular meeting.