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Surry County planning commission recommends approval of Bear Island 89 MW battery storage CUP
Summary
The Surry County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a conditional use permit for Bear Island Battery Storage LLC to build an 89 MW (4-hour) battery energy storage system and associated switchyard/substation, after staff review, expert testimony, public comment and debate on traffic, noise and decommissioning.
The Surry County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of conditional use permit number 2025-01 for Bear Island Battery Storage LLC, an 89-megawatt (nameplate) battery energy storage system with a 4-hour duration and an associated switchyard and project substation. Planning staff presented the application and recommended conditions, noting the project would use about 32.5 acres with the facility footprint roughly 10 acres and would be sited in the Bakers Castle District off White Marsh Road.
Staff told commissioners the site lies in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area and contains Resource Protection Area (RPA) features and delineated wetlands that will be addressed in site-plan review. The presentation said construction deliveries would be limited (an estimated 75–90 modular containers delivered by tractor-trailer, roughly 2–3 heavy deliveries per day for a month-long delivery window), lighting would be motion-activated and a noise study must be submitted before site-plan approval. Staff also noted the center of the site is less than 900 feet from transmission lines, the nearest residence is roughly 2,300 feet away, and the ordinance requires a 100-foot vegetative buffer around project areas where vegetation is removed.
Public safety and emergency response were discussed during the hearing. After expert testimony on plume-dispersion modeling (see separate article), and a public comment urging denial, the commission took up motions. Commissioner [mover] moved to approve the CUP and to forward it to the Board of Supervisors with the recommended conditions; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. The commission then approved the required substantial accord determination finding the project in compliance with the comprehensive plan.
Following the vote staff and applicants noted additional details—final layout, full noise and hazard mitigation analyses and any buffer adjustments will be resolved during site-plan review and permitting. The planning commission’s approval was a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors; final permitting and any state-level approvals remain required.
