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Prince Edward County supervisors will have another solar project to consider in September. During their Tuesday, Aug. 20 meeting, the Prince Edward planning commission voted to recommend North Branch Solar for approval. 

North Branch, which would be owned and operated by Charlottesville-based Sun Tribe, covers a 40 acre portion of land on a 147.5-acre parcel. This is located on the east side of Thomas Jefferson Highway, across from its intersection with Point Road. The project would be on the east side of the railroad tracks, with the closest resident no more than 500 feet on the west side of Thomas Jefferson Highway.

As Prince Edward County Planner Robby Love pointed out, this is at the convergence of Prince Edward, Charlotte County and Appomattox County, so landowners in all three areas would be affected and were notified of the proposed project. Love told planning commission members he had received a few calls on this, but to date, no one had come out against the application. 

Residents question North Branch Solar

There were questions, however, as at least one resident who attended Tuesday’s meeting asked about the potential for declining property values for those living near the solar facility. Pamplin resident John Menefee also questioned if there was a chance the solar project could expand in the future. 

“Are you stopping at 38 acres?” Menefee asked the Sun Tribe representative. “Are you going (for) more? One of the great things about Pamplin is that there’s nothing out there. I’m concerned about what this could do to the area.” 

Sun Tribe representative John Townsend said the project is capped at 3 megawatts, with no expansion or additional phases planned. Even if the company did change their mind, Love pointed out, no expansion could take place without county approval. 

“We’ve advertised a 40 acre portion,” Love said. “There is no way they can get any bigger than that, not even a half acre bigger than that, without going through this process again.” 

Commission members have questions too 

That was the only question from the public, but planning commission members also wanted to make sure the property would both be inspected and also fire departments would receive training on how to deal with any fires on the panels or any other part of the operation. The answer to both was yes. Prince Edward Emergency Manager Trey Pyle will be organizing training for fire departments when dealing with solar. And it will be inspected, both by Pyle and Love on the county side and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. 

Will the electricity generated be used by Prince Edward County residents? That was another point raised by the planning commission. 

“The electricity generated here will enter at a low enough voltage that it will disperse throughout the grid and whether that’s a Dominion owned line or a Southside owned line, the electrons will be utilized here,” Townsend said. 

Details on the proposal 

So what would this look like? As mentioned before, this would be a small solar facility, advertised for 40 acres but planned to occupy less than 35 acres of the 147-acre parcel. According to Mangum Economics, which did a study for Sun Tribe, the project would generate an estimated $71,000 in real estate tax over 40 years, with more than $264,000 coming in energy revenue share tax. The company would also pay a one-time amount of $10,000 per megawatt, so $30,000 in total. 

Sun Tribe proposes more than 3,000 feet of new vegetative buffer, so trees, brush, etc., on the western side to hide the project from the train tracks. They have also proposed doing the same for the south side, to screen it from neighboring properties. 

There would be no battery storage on site, as the project would connect to an existing distribution power line, which means there is no need for an existing substation. 

What happens next for North Branch Solar?

Now that the project has been recommended for approval, it goes to county supervisors for a thumbs up or thumbs down. They’ll have a chance to discuss it at their Tuesday, Sept. 10 meeting.