Dominion Energy admits ‘error’ in independent review for proposed Chesterfield gas plant

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Questions are growing ahead of a Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) meeting on Dominion Energy’s Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center.

Last month, the energy company admitted to evaluating bids on its own without a third party, despite earlier indications that there would be one.

Dominion representative Jeremy Slayton said that an error in their testimony suggested they needed an independent monitor. But the company said it's fully capable of reviewing its own request for proposals or "RFPs."

“We review and evaluate RFPs all the time, to determine the best solutions to meet our customer needs and we followed that same robust review process for this project,” he said.

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Slayton also pointed out the State Corporation Commission (SCC) will ultimately decide if the project moves forward.

“We thoroughly documented the review, the RFP review process for this project. It’s all on public record," Slayton said. "The SCC is reviewing it, and they'll make sure that it was fair and competitive.”

Residents -- including environmental advocates like “Friends of Chesterfield” board chair Glen Besa -- are raising red flags. Besa believes the gas plant could increase air pollution and health risks and are calling for greater oversight.

"We're very disappointed that Dominion has not lived up to its representation with respect to this independent analysis,” Besa said. “We think that this project should not go forward at all unless that analysis is done.”

Besa argued the project violates the Virginia Clean Economy Act -- which requires most carbon-emitting plants to close by 2045, unless they can prove a reliability need.

“They can meet these power demands with solar, with wind, with energy efficiency and with battery storage. So, we're telling them to go back to the drawing board," Besa said.

Dominion argued power demand is hitting record highs -- and while offshore wind and solar cover much of that load, natural gas is still needed when renewable sources fall short.

The DEQ held a public hearing on the draft permit for Dominion Energy`s proposed Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center project on Monday, Sept. 8.