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Dominion tells Charlotte County solar projects delayed to 2030 after PJM study; supervisors press for answers
Summary
Dominion representatives said a PJM reliability study requires upgrades from 115 kV to 230 kV, pushing Courthouse Solar, Quarter Horse, Tall Pines and Randolph Phase 1 online to 2030; Dominion said PJM would not allow interim connections to 115 kV, prompting supervisor questions about PJM oversight and allocation.
Gary Payne, representing Dominion, told the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors on March 12 that a recent PJM study concluded some existing 115 kV lines must be upgraded to 230 kV to accommodate the planned solar additions. Payne said Dominion learned of the PJM findings in December 2024 and that the new timeline projects Courthouse Solar, Quarter Horse, Tall Pines and Randolph Phase 1 to go online in 2030 — roughly two years later than originally expected.
County Administrator Daniel N. Witt asked why Dominion could not complete the projects and connect to 115 kV until 230 kV upgrades are finished; Payne replied that PJM would not permit interim connections. Supervisor Gary D. Walker pressed for clarity about PJM’s governance, asking "who controlled PJM" and expressing concern that larger customers seemed prioritized; Payne did not identify an alternative technical solution during the meeting.
The delay and the requirement for transmission upgrades were presented as outcomes of the PJM study; no dates for the specific transmission upgrades or commitments to a revised construction schedule were provided at the meeting. The board did not take formal action on the Dominion update during the session.
