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(Editor's note: Approval includes rate hike.)

State regulators have approved Appalachian Power’s green energy plan that includes a large new solar facility in Pittsylvania County.

The State Corporation Commission has ratified Appalachian Power’s proposal for new solar and onshore wind generation units. It includes nearly 500 megawatts of renewable generation.

Recurrent Energy is ready to begin building the Firefly Solar Generation project in the southeastern end of Pittsylvania County. Ownership will be transferred to Appalachian Power once it’s complete.

Over a 35 year span, Firefly is expected to generate $12.25 million in revenue for the county. Otherwise, that property would generate less than $200,000 in county taxes over the same period.

The construction phase is expected to take several months and will generate around 200 construction jobs. “Upon completion, it will be obscured by vegetation and will not create audible noise,” Project Manager Jace Walker told the Pittsylvania County of Board of Zoning Appeals earlier this year. “This is a much better alternative than many other possible uses under the A-1 and M-1 (zoning) categories.”

Firefly is one of six solar facilities that will help Appalachian advance its green energy efforts. Five solar facilities will be in Virginia with one in West Virginia. There’s also a wind facility in Illinois.

Implementation of this phase will cost $32 million. It will be recovered through a rate hike. The average residential Appalachian Power customer will pay an extra $2.37 a month to allow the utility to recoup the costs.

Appalachian Power is trying to meet a state mandate that requires Virginia customers get all-renewable power by 2050.

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