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The proposed Gabriel Solar project was originally set to go before Prince Edward supervisors on Tuesday, Feb. 11. However, Old Man Winter stepped in, bringing enough ice and snow that the meeting was canceled and all hearings rescheduled. That discussion is now set for Tuesday, March 11. 

And by discussion, we’re referring to Gabriel Solar’s request for a special use permit to build and operate an 80 megawatt solar facility with a battery energy storage system. The proposal is by far the biggest one to come before Prince Edward officials. It would stretch over 539 acres, part of a land block totaling 1,196.77 acres east of New Bethel Road and on both sides of Falkland Road and Virso Road.

The sheer size of the project, combined with concerns about everything from fire safety to the track record of Gabriel Solar’s parent company Energix in nearby Buckingham, made a majority of planning commission members want to press pause in December, to continue reading and researching the material available before reaching a decision. They reached that decision in January, voting unanimously to recommend advancing the project to Prince Edward supervisors.

Details about Gabriel Solar project

The project itself would be roughly 11 miles south of Farmville and about 2 miles east of Route 15. It would be, by far, the largest solar project taken on in Prince Edward. To give a comparison, previous solar projects in Prince Edward, especially recent ones, have come nowhere close to this size. 

The CEP solar projects approved back in July by the Prince Edward supervisors, were 170.8 and 81.2, respectively. Then there was North Branch Solar, which includes 40 acres used on a 147.5 acre piece of land. This one, meanwhile, would be 539 acres used on a piece of land stretching more than 800 acres, with 110,000 panels. It’s also worth pointing out that unlike some of the other solar projects that still need to negotiate or build a substation, this piece of land already has one that connects with Dominion. 

It’s so large, in fact, that Prince Edward County would not be responsible for monitoring the stormwater issues, like the ones which led to violations in Buckingham County. The state would be responsible for monitoring the stormwater issues of the operation, not the county.

If approved, the site would be accessible through New Bethel, Virso and Falkland roads, with a six-foot fence around it to hide from both neighbors and the roadway. As for construction concerns, building everything would take between 9 to 12 months, with an average of 16 trucks coming in and out every day. During the six-month peak construction period, Gabriel Solar officials say, residents could expect 60 trips per day from trucks.

What about safety, health concerns? 

Gabriel Solar staff spent the majority of last month’s planning commission meeting answering questions about safety and health as it pertains to the project. Prince Edward Supervisor and liaison to the commission Llew Gilliam Jr., who has been a firefighter for more than 40 years, had asked back in December what fire prevention methods the battery storage system and solar panels would have. 

Gabriel’s Director of Development, Michael Cook, told commission members that the project would have a thermal management system, along with automated fire suppression systems, buffers to protect against flame escaping and a 24/7 Battery Protection Unit, which will monitor the structure. Cook also said the fire detection system provides early warning, before the solar panels even catch on fire. If they get heated beyond what’s considered an acceptable degree, both the Gabriel officials and local firefighters will be notified. As for the battery storage, Cook said that the system will monitor voltage levels, temperature and state of charge, to prevent any overcharging, overdischarging or overheating. 

The fire suppression system, meanwhile, will use gas to interrupt the chemical chain reaction that ignites fire on the panel. The system also will include ventilation dampers, to control gas exhaust during any such incident. 

What about Gabriel Solar training?

Another question raised last month was about training. Will firefighters in Prince Edward County be trained to know what they’re dealing with and how best to address it. Cook said yes. Gabriel Solar will provide training resources, emergency response guidelines, as well as a training program, covering onsite emergency response. 

Another question from last month involved what material will be used on the panels. Instead of free cadmium, this project will use cadmium telluride, a different blend of material that has 1/100th the toxicity of regular cadmium. Cook told the commission Gabriel Solar’s parent company, Energix, has used these type of systems in Europe, because they don’t offer the same fire risks that lithium does.