Hampton Roads Power Plant Shelved

Since December 2008, SELC has pursued a vigorous campaign against a proposal to build what would be the largest coal-fired power plant in Virginia just 30 miles from the Chesapeake Bay. This week we are celebrating the news that the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative has suspended its plans for the 1,500-megawatt project.

Having challenged the facility in local, state, and federal permitting arenas, we and our partners now hope to work with ODEC to increase its reliance on energy efficiency and other clean energy sources. If built on its rural site in Surry County, the ODEC plant would emit 11.7 million tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide and more than 3,000 tons of nitrogen oxides each year, undercutting the state’s commitment to reduce its contribution to global climate change and adding to the nutrient pollution causing dead zones in the Bay.

“ODEC’s decision is a breath fresh air for Hampton Roads, Virginia, one of the most vulnerable areas in the country to climate-related sea level rise,” said SELC senior attorney Cale Jaffe. “We will keep a sharp eye on the utility to ensure it does not revive this project in the future.”