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Board hears update on Laurel Creek/Owl Creek battery project as state and federal reviews continue
Summary
A board member told the Smyth County Board that the battery storage project—referred to in the presentation as both Laurel Creek Energy LLC and Owl Creek Energy Storage LLC—has filed for a State Corporation Commission certificate, received a DEQ waters determination, and is progressing through PJM interconnection studies and a Corps AJD review.
Mr. Williams presented the board with a status report on a proposed battery energy storage project linked in the update to Laurel Creek Energy LLC (the presentation also referred to the developer as Owl Creek Energy Storage LLC).
The presenter said Laurel Creek filed an application with the Virginia State Corporation Commission for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) in January 2026. He said the company had filed required public notices and expects an SCC staff report later in 2026, with a company-anticipated final CPCN decision by year-end. “We will continue to update you as additional progress is made, and we appreciate the opportunity to do business in Smyth County,” Mr. Williams said.
On environmental reviews, Mr. Williams said Laurel Creek submitted a state surface-waters determination to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on March 16, 2026, and received DEQ approval on March 23, 2026. He also said the company submitted a request to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an approved jurisdictional determination (AJD) on March 13 and anticipates the Corps’ AJD in late September 2026.
Regarding grid interconnection, the presenter said the project entered PJM’s transmission queue (cycle 2) and received a phase-one study in October 2025; phase-two study results are expected in late second quarter 2026, barring PJM delays. He described the studies as providing an indication of project viability and the approximate scope, timing and cost of any required grid upgrades.
The presentation emphasized that the developer has made capital investments and due diligence steps but that state and federal reviews and PJM studies remain in process. The board did not take formal action on the project during the update.
Background and next steps: the company’s SCC application and agency reviews are ongoing; the Corps AJD and PJM phase-two study results are the near-term milestones cited by the presenter. If or when the board receives formal permit amendments or site-specific approvals tied to its special-use permit, those would be subject to later action.
