Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners pressed on noise, emissions and decommissioning for proposed Remington turbine yard
Summary
At a lengthy review of the Remington Technology Park rezoning amendment, staff described a proposed on-site gas turbine yard (13 simple-cycle turbines, up to 215 MW capacity) intended to bridge power until Dominion can deliver capacity; commissioners raised concerns about noise testing, proffer timing, emissions (applicant proffers a 100 tons/year NOx cap), decommissioning timelines and county oversight.
The commission spent the bulk of its review on the Remington Technology Park rezoning amendment, focusing on a proposed on-site gas turbine yard intended to provide temporary power for a multi-building data center campus. Staff said the conceptual turbine yard would include up to 13 simple-cycle turbines in a roughly 4.5-acre equipment area with a maximum capacity tied to the proffer of 215 megawatts for the turbine yard; the overall campus concept anticipates up to 1,800,000 square feet across six single-story data center buildings and an anticipated electrical load that the applicant now estimates at 600 megawatts for full buildout.
Commissioners repeatedly pressed staff and asked the applicant (through staff) for specifics on noise and emissions. Staff said the applicant proffered maximum noise levels of 65 dBA at the property line during daytime hours and lower limits at night, but members noted the proffer language does not match the county’s daylight/evening hour definitions and that annual testing by the applicant may be insufficient. “We don't have a definition in our ordinance of a power plant,” one commissioner said, arguing county oversight and capacity to monitor such an operation are limited. Staff also told the commission the applicant committed that turbine-yard emissions would not exceed 100 tons of nitrous oxide per year and would operate under a minor-source DEQ permit; commissioners asked to see the DEQ application and requested tighter decommissioning deadlines and testing frequency in the proffers.
