See below for a press release from Charles City County and sPower, and note that Virginia needs about twenty more projects this size, combined with a huge push for energy efficiency and a massive offshore wind investment.
CHARLES CITY COUNTY – The Charles City County Board of Supervisors voted this evening to approve the Special Use Permit for a 340 megawatt solar project under development by Sustainable Power Group (sPower). This $415 million investment by sPower will create over 300 construction jobs and 15-20 full-time jobs and will generate over $4.5 million in new tax revenue to the county.
“sPower is excited to partner with Charles City County in bringing new jobs and economic growth as part of the county’s comprehensive development strategy,” said Daniel Menahem, senior manager of solar development for sPower. “We look forward to working with the administrators and elected leaders to bring this project to completion and assist with growth efforts throughout the county.”
This solar project represents part of a larger initiative by Charles City County to attract new economic development, improve infrastructure, and enhance educational opportunities while preserving the character of the surrounding community. Increasing educational access for its residents is a Charles City County priority; sPower is working with the county to provide STEM training in schools and scholarships for students pursuing technical careers. Along with the creation of energy generation infrastructure, sPower is committed to helping the county reach its goals of increased fire and emergency services along with improved rural broadband access.
sPower will be holding local career fairs and job training programs to fill hiring needs for the construction and operation of the project. sPower is a proud supporter of our men and women serving in the armed forces and encourages veterans to apply for these positions.
“This project presents a big opportunity for Charles City County,” said Supervisor Gilbert Smith. “The new revenue to the county will help us fund new programs in our schools and attract new industrial investment to the Route 106 corridor.”
The project, located near the intersection of Route 106 and Wayside Road, will be built on 1,400 acres of land, and another 800 acres will be permanently conserved. Construction will begin in early 2020 and should take 18 months.
About sPower:
sPower, an AES and AIMCo company, is the largest private owner of operating solar assets in the United States. sPower owns and operates a portfolio of solar and wind assets greater than 1.3 GW and has a development pipeline of more than 10 GW. sPower is owned by a joint venture partnership between The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), a worldwide energy company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, one of Canada’s largest and most diversified institutional investment fund managers.
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