“In sabotaging offshore wind, Dominion has put Virginia further behind in the race to a clean energy economy”

The following statement is from the Virginia Sierra Club (bolding added by me for emphasis), in response to the US Department of Energy pulling the plug today on $40 million in federal money for Dominion to develop offshore wind power in Virginia.  If you care to read Dominion “Global Warming Starts Here” Power’s utterly dishonest, disingenuous statement, click here — but be prepared to throw up a bit in your mouth at their bull**** (e.g., does anyone not born yesterday believe that the fossil fools at Dominion are really “disappointed in the DOE’s decision because we still believe that offshore wind has a great potential to deliver clean, renewable energy to Virginia”??? Yeah right!).  With that, here’s the Virginia Sierra Club statement, which I endorse 100%.

This decision by the US Department of Energy to suspend funding to the VOWTAP project should not come as a surprise. DOE wants to move this exciting new American industry forward but Dominion has been disingenuous about their intentions for offshore wind from the outset. Dominion drags its feet and remains non-committal to developing Virginia’s offshore wind resources.   By refusing to commit to ​a ​project start up for the 2 test turbines by 2020, citing the “too many unknowns” and the “unique regulatory and cost challenges” Dominion has basically requested that DOE suspend its support. 

Recently, Dominion sent a clear signal that it was not interested in offshore wind when it failed to include in its long range energy plan the 2,000 megawatts offshore wind project for which it holds a federal lease.

The utility monopoly also continues its plans to build a third nuclear facility at North Anna – a project currently carrying a $19 billion price tag and a tremendous amount of environmental risk. That price tag translates to a 19 cents per kilowatt cost to Virginia ratepayers and more profit to Dominion, but it represents a very high cost to ratepayers compared to the 10 cents/kWh which a University of Delaware study found offshore wind will cost when the U.S develops its own supply chain and manufacturing.

Dominion is also pursuing a dirty energy plan that includes a $5 billion natural gas pipeline that will increase carbon pollution and only accelerate sea level rise in Hampton Roads.

In sabotaging offshore wind, Dominion has put Virginia further behind in the race to a clean energy economy. Studies have shown that with full build out, offshore wind could create over 14,000 jobs in the Commonwealth and power over 700,000 homes.