Dominion Energy issued a request for proposals to acquire up to 1.2 GW of renewable energy projects and 125 MW of energy storage projects in Virginia.
The investor-owned utility is seeking solar, onshore wind, and energy storage projects to support an update to its 2020 Integrated Resource Plan. Proposals will be reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year, Dominion said.
A separate RFP seeking power purchase agreement opportunities is expected to be issued by Dominion on Sept. 1.
Subscribe today to the all-new Factor This! podcast from Renewable Energy World. This podcast designed specifically for the solar industry launches May 9th with a deep-dive breakdown of the Auxin Solar tariff petition, including the impact to PPA markets and corporate net-zero targets. Dominion's RFP seeks standalone solar and wind projects, solar and wind projects that are paired with energy storage, and standalone energy storage projects. Utility-scale projects with greater than 3 MW of capacity, as well as distributed projects with less than 3 MW of capacity, are invited to submit proposals.
Distributed solar projects should be located within Dominion Energy Virginia's service territory where there are location grid benefits to customers, the utility said.
In March, Virginia regulators approved Dominion's plan to add 1 GW of solar and energy storage capacity.
The plan featured 15 Dominion Energy Virginia projects and 24 power purchase agreements with third-party developers.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission signed off on the renewable energy expansion plan on March 15.
"This is another significant milestone in Virginia's transition to energy independence," said Ed Baine, president of Dominion Energy Virginia. "These projects will support thousands of good jobs and hundreds of millions in economic activity in communities across Virginia. This is a positive step forward for our customers, the environment, and Virginia's economy."
The Dominion-developed projects account for 664.6 MW of solar and 70 MW of storage and are expected to be completed in 2022 and 2023.
They include 11 utility-scale solar projects, two small-scale distributed solar projects, one co-located solar and storage project, and one standalone energy storage project.
The utility said that 4,200 jobs will support the projects, which are expected to generate $880 million in economic benefits across the commonwealth.
Virginia-based East Point Energy sold the 20 MW/80 MWh Dry Bridge Energy Storage project to Dominion Energy, which is expected to become one of the largest battery energy storage projects in Virginia when it becomes operational.
The Dulles Solar and Storage project will have 100 MW solar capacity and 50 MW/200 MWh storage capacity.
The projects are in line with the goals of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which requires 100% of electricity sales to come from clean sources by 2045.
