Developers propose solar facility

Published 8:30 am Friday, February 25, 2022

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Apex Solar and ESA Solar are looking to make Lunenburg home for one of its solar projects.

Developers are proposing to construct and operate a 4 megawatt medium-scale solar located on Dogwood Lane located just outside of Kenbridge.

As part of the project development the Lunenburg County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, March 3, beginning at 7 p.m. in the 2nd floor Courtroom of the

Lunenburg Courts Building.

According to county documents this hearing will be to determine if the developer’s request is in compliance with the Lunenburg-Kenbridge-Victoria Comprehensive Plan.

Last month developers of Red Brick Solar placed things on hold citing additional cost for the project has made it not feasible at this time.

Red Brick was set to be the county’s first solar facility that would have placed a solar photovoltaic power plant across 935 acres situated in north-central Lunenburg County, near the courthouse and about four miles southwest of Victoria.

At the Sept. 21 board of supervisors meeting, the Board voted to remove from the table any further consideration of the Red Brick solar application to allow further discussion of a siting agreement with Red Brick solar.

In late October, Public Engagement Manager for Apex Clean Energy Patrick Chilton said developers of Red Brick had been negotiating with the county for 14 months over additional financial benefits the county would like and was hoping to hear a decision by at least the November Board of Supervisors meeting.

That decision never came.

According to Chilton, Red Brick Solar was offering to pay Lunenburg County an additional $1.7 million in local real estate taxes and $12 million in revenue share and cost savings over the project’s anticipated 40-year life.

According to Energy News, since 2015, a total of 62 notices of intent to build have been filed for solar projects in Virginia. From this number, 36 permits have been approved by the Virginia Department of Environmental Equality, authorizing project construction for developers.