Say NO to Dominion's gas plant
Dominion's projected image of the plant
Chesterfield Gas Plant
Friends of Chesterfield is currently focused on opposing a massive new gas plant Dominion Energy is proposing near the James River, consisting of four new generators totaling 1000 MW of capacity.
This would be the largest plant of its kind in Virginia and is expected to raise electric bills and pollute the surrounding Chesterfield community.
About the Plant
Financial Impacts
The type of gas plant Dominion is proposing is typically very expensive to build and operate, especially when compared to other energy sources. In fact, gas plants that run on combustion turbines like this one generate electricity at a minimum cost of $115 per MWh. That’s nearly five times more expensive than utility-scale solar.
On top of the costs to run the plant, Dominion estimates construction costs will start at $600,000,000. These costs will be passed on to Dominion’s customers through charges on their electric bills.
Health Impacts
Gas plants like these also come with health risks for the surrounding community. Because this type of plant is designed to turn on and off very quickly, they often run on dirtier fuel and have fewer pollution controls to protect nearby residents.
According to Dominion, the plant could emit up to 28 tons of sulfur dioxide, 344 tons of nitrogen oxides and 819 tons of carbon monoxides. All of these are toxic air pollutants that pose serious health risks to the surrounding community, which includes more than 16,000 people within three miles of the plant and the children who attend the Bellwood Elementary School two miles away.
Environmental Impacts
According to Dominion Energy's permit application to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the plant will run approximately 37% of the year (3,240 hours) and will generate the equivalent of 4,500,000,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
That's 13% of Dominion's total emissions across its entire service territory (including North Carolina), and the equivalent of 470,000 more cars on the road each year.
Anyone living in Chesterfield County can contact your Board of Supervisors’ member to share your thoughts on the proposed plant. You can reach them via phone, email or by sharing a comment at their monthly meeting. The next chance to share a public comment at a Board of Supervisors meeting is on Wednesday, March 13th at 6 p.m.