Dominion Touts Investments in Solar Power in California While Blocking Solar Power in Virginia?

Well, well, well, ain't this just lovely? Dominion announced an agreement to acquire a 20-megawatt solar project from EDF Renewable Energy, one of North America's largest independent power producers and renewable energy project developers. The acquisition is expected to close later this year prior to the project commencing operations.The solar facility, called the CID solar project, is located in King's County, Californianear the City of Corcoran. The project has secured a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) as well as the interconnection agreement and the engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) contract. [...] In April, Dominion announced the purchase of six other solar projects in California, totaling 139 megawatts. Those projects are currently under construction and are expected to be operational by late 2014. The acquisition will bring Dominion's total solar generating portfolio to 232 megawatts. Along with the 159 megawatts for the California projects, the company recently obtained two Tennessee projects that will generate 32 megawatts and has 41 megawatts of solar energy facilities operating at sites in Georgia, Connecticut and Indiana.  The company also has various projects under development in Virginia as part of its Solar Partnership Program. Great, so let's get this straight: Dominion Power is vehemently opposed to a mandatory renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for Virginia, and has been working to block one for years (e.g., by buying up our elected officials and flooding Richmond with their lobbyists), but they're investing like gangbusters in solar power in states like California which have....yep, aggressive, mandatory RPSs?!? Hypocrisy, thy name is Dominion Power!P.S. The newly-proposed EPA carbon pollution rules make it even more urgent that Dominion stop blocking progress in Virginia on energy efficiency, wind and solar power. But will they? Will anyone stand up to this powerful monopoly?

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