Days before the March 19 deadline for proposals to develop wind power in the ocean off Virginia’s coast, environmental leaders gathered in front of Dominion Virginia Power headquarters to deliver a petition signed by more than 10,000 Virginians in support of the electric utility’s hastened development of offshore wind power.
Following the Interior Department’s recent announcement calling for development interest, the leaders urged Dominion to ensure the start of a full build-out of Virginia wind energy areas within the next five years. The 112,799 acres off Virginia’s coast identified for lease sale by year’s end have the potential of generating over 2,400 megawatts of energy– enough to power 500,000 homes and potentially attract major wind turbine components manufacturers to Virginia.
“These 10,000 petition signatures match the 10,000 jobs that Dominion could bring to Virginia by jumpstarting an offshore wind industry,” said Beth Kemler, Virginia State Director with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Heading up the largest utility in the state and boasting a huge amount of political capital, Dominion executives hold all the cards when it comes to offshore wind power. These jobs will only materialize if and when Dominion charts an aggressive course towards Virginia’s clean energy future. Dominion either needs to commit to purchasing offshore wind power from turbines off our coast or be prepared to partner with an offshore wind developer if we are to capitalize on this renewable wind resource.”
“Virginia must develop that potential 2,400 megawatts as soon as possible. We otherwise risk losing economic opportunities and thousands of jobs to states with more aggressive build-out plans if Dominion continues to lack a vision and a plan for developing that full wind potential within the next five years,” said Eileen Levandoski with the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.
“The Interior Department has outlined a course by which Virginia could see construction of wind farms occurring within the next five years,” said Glen Besa with the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. “Dominion expresses interest in offshore wind, but has no plans for offshore wind in its 15-year planning horizon. That needs to change now.”
Copies of the petitions delivered to Dominion will also be delivered to the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in response to its public comment call due March 19.
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Offshore WIND staff, March 15, 2012; Image: chesapeakeclimate