Quarter Horse one step closer

A Charlotte County solar project is one step closer to construction after a meeting last week.

The Quarter Horse Solar project, now a Dominion Energy undertaking, has been in the works for several years. However, changes are underway.

Originally, the Moody Creek solar project was proposed for a roughly 1,678-acre site on the west side of Crafton’s Gate Highway and south of Kings Highway at the county line with Mecklenburg.

Apex Clean Energy Holdings LLC proposed that project back in 2018. However, Apex terminated its lease agreement with the owner last year, paving the way for Dominion Energy.

Dominion has now taken over the project at the original Moody Creek site and renamed it Quarter Horse Solar.

There have been more changes than just the name. The project capacity has been reduced from 150 megawatts to 125. In addition, siting agreements are now allowed by the state, giving the county negotiating power with the developers, and additional conditions have been added that are more stringent than the original ones on the site.

During a July 18 meeting, the Charlotte County Planning Commission voted 6-1 to find that the project was “substantially in accord” with the comprehensive plan and then voted, by the same count, to recommend approval with conditions. Commissioner Miller Adams of Wylliesburg/Red Oak District was the sole vote against on both motions.

WITT SAYS CHANGES BENEFICIAL

Charlotte County Administrator Dan Witt said the changes to the project will ultimately be beneficial to the county.

“Dominion has agreed they will go with our new conditions, which are more stringent and more protective of the county versus the original ones,” Witt said in a phone interview earlier in July.

The additional conditions include requirements for wildlife crossings, setbacks from wetlands, a separate security for maintenance of land cover and vegetative buffer, traffic control, lighting and sound during the construction process, maintenance of the roadway at the cost of the developer, a grading plan with stormwater management, limiting impacts on threatened or endangered species, erosion and sediment control, removal and storage of damaged panels, a more robust decommissioning plan and many more.

In addition, Witt said, the siting agreement will allow for revenue sharing to bring some more money into the county.

“Before, there was nothing in the county’s toolbox to negotiate more money for these projects,” Witt said. “They were totally beneficial to the solar developer, not the county. We didn’t get the kind of money we see now.”

Witt said the money from the previous iteration of the project was going to pay for the new E911 communications system.

“When this project fell apart last year, I was shocked and crushed because I was relying on that money to pay for our communications system,” he said.

PUTTING MORE MONEY IN

However, Dominion looks likely to wind up pumping far more money into the county’s coffers than Apex would have.

The county has adopted a revenue share ordinance that will pay the county $1,400 per megawatt annually, with that number escalating by 10% on July 1, 2026, and then by an additional 10% every five years after that.

“That’s a cumulative number that is substantial,” Witt said.

In addition, a siting agreement will be negotiated with Dominion, and a typical minimum is $25,000 per megawatt, meaning the likely minimum revenue from this alone would be $3.125 million.

“Once negotiated and made public, the project will likely more than double the amount of revenue the county will receive when compared to the original agreements,” Witt said.

Tim Eberly, senior communications specialist for media relations with Dominion Energy, said the project will be able to power more than 31,000 homes at peak output.

“This project benefits nearby residents and all Virginians in numerous ways,” Eberly continued. “The solar facility will help power homes and businesses in the surrounding area. The county and local community also will benefit from economic impacts of the construction, the proposed capital payments to Charlotte County under the siting agreement, and from annual revenue-sharing payments once the facility is operational.

“From an environmental perspective, this large-scale solar facility will produce carbon-free energy and help contribute to the state’s clean energy goals.”

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors could discuss and take a vote on their own on amending the conditional use permit at a meeting in August or September. If it gets approval during the meeting later this week, Quarter Horse could start construction in 2027.

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