Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center

Project Details

Construction Updates

Update for Dec. 16, 2009 -Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center Passes the Halfway Point

Dominion Virginia Power's Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center project in Wise County has passed the halfway point and remains on schedule.

Dominion, which operates Virginia's largest electric utility, is building a 585-megawatt power station at Virginia City to help meet the state's growing power needs. The station will be fueled by run-of-mine coal, waste coal and biomass in the form of wood chips.

More than 1,300 men and women are working on the project as of Dec. 1. Construction employment is expected to peak at around 1,500 next year.

Dramatic evidence of the construction progress is that only one level of steel remains to be erected to complete the framework for the 20-story-tall building that will house the station's two circulating fluidized-bed boilers. Also recently, the station's administration building has been topped out; three 13-story silos to house coal-combustion products have been poured; and workers have begun installing equipment in the station's coal, limestone and wood handling area. The station uses limestone to control sulfur dioxide emissions.

"Overall, we're about where we expected to be at this stage of the project," said Charlie Scott, Dominion site manager for construction at Virginia City. "We've certainly had our ups and downs, but not anything unexpected for a project of this size," he said.

Work on the $1.8 billion station began in the summer of 2008, and commercial operation is set to begin in mid-2012.

Preston Sloane, who was the station director at Dominion's Chesapeake Energy Center in Hampton Roads, has been named the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center's first station director. Sloane has occupied an office at Virginia City and has begun filling out his permanent operations staff.

Other major work on the power station that will occur over the next few months includes: installation of a large bridge crane in the turbine-generator building, continued excavation of the station's dry-ash landfill and preparation of the turbine-generator building for installation of the generator's largest stationary part, which weighs 354 tons.

• View the construction site.
• View construction of the air-cooled condenser.
• View the boiler building under construction.
• View the interior of the boiler building under construction.

Update for Oct. 30, 2009

Images show the progress as of October 2009. Ash silos have been erected behind the chimney and the fourth (and final) tier of boiler-building steel is being constructed.

• View image 1.
• View image 2.

Update for Aug. 25, 2009

Aerial images show the progress as of August 2009.

• View aerial image 1.
• View aerial image 2.

Update for June 25, 2009

Work on Dominion's Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center was roughly 30 percent complete by mid-June. Foundations had been completed for most of the coal-fired power station's major buildings and the erection of structural steel for the boiler and steam turbine/generator buildings was well underway. Employment on the site was nearing 800 with roughly 25 percent of those workers having been hired from the local area. Construction employment is expected to peak at around 1,500 workers in 2010.

• View of construction site.
• Photo of pipefitter.
• View of construction.
• Alternate view of construction.
• Alternate view of construction.

Update for April 20, 2009

Work continues to progress steadily at Dominion’s Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center since construction began in July 2008. The images below show construction of turbine pedestals and the first steel beams being installed.

• View construction of the turbine pedestals.
• View the first steel beams being installed.

Update for Feb. 11, 2009

Aerial images show the progress as of February 2009.

• View aerial image 1.
• View aerial image 2.

Update for Dec. 22, 2008

Construction of the concrete shell for the chimney at Dominion’s Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center topped out Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 486 feet. Following a long-standing tradition in the construction trades, the topping out was marked by the placing of a Christmas tree and an American flag at the top of the stack. The pouring of the concrete shell began Nov. 11 and finished a week ahead of schedule.

Jens Lehnnhoff, site manager for Karrena International, the subcontractor that built the chimney shell, described the project as a "normal job." A chimney project typically takes a little longer in winter than in warmer months because the concrete must be heated to cure properly, he said.

Still ahead for Karrena is the pouring of the concrete top or roof for the stack six feet below the top of its walls and installation of steel flues and a permanent elevator inside the concrete shell. Steel flues will eventually extend 20 feet above the roof. The entire chimney project is scheduled for completion next October.

• View the top of the stack.
• View the completed chimney shell.

Update for Dec. 8, 2008

• View the reinforced concrete shell for the power station’s chimney at 375 feet.

Update for Nov. 18, 2008

A major milestone was reached Nov. 11 when workers began pouring the reinforced concrete shell for the power station’s 500-foot chimney. In addition to the boiler flues, the shell will contain an elevator capable of carrying workers to the 460-foot level. The shell will be equipped with temporary aviation warning lights during its construction and permanent lighting once it is complete.

The structure will sit on a foundation that includes 16 concrete pilings, each sunk 106-feet into the earth. The shell’s construction will require roughly 12 million pounds of concrete and 1.2 million pounds of steel reinforcement bar.

Elsewhere on the construction site, work is underway on a road from the future power station to a lined and engineered landfill where ash from the station will be hauled in large, off-road trucks and buried. Also, work is approaching the halfway point on the pouring of 465 underground concrete piers that will help support the foundation for the station’s various buildings.

One of three major bridges that will be built on the station property is complete and work has begun on another. Work is also progressing on the below-ground concrete vault that will house the electrical equipment for the power station. Additionally, wrap-up is near on construction of acceleration and turn lanes on U.S. Route 58A at the entrance to the site’s material-handling area, where coal, waste wood and limestone for the station’s boilers will be stored. A large metal pole to support a traffic signal at the intersection has been erected.

• View chimney shell construction on 11/14/08.
• View overnight construction on 11/16/08.

Project Resources

• Dominion Virginia Power Issues Statement on Approval of Air Permits for Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center. Read the news release. 
• Dominion Welcomes Virginia State Corporation Commission Approval of Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center. Read the news release. 
• Dominion's Proposed Power Station Wins More Support from Southwest Virginia. Read the news release. 
• Proposed conversion of Bremo Power Station from coal to natural gas depends on the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center entering service. Read the news release. 
• Learn more about the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center and clean-coal technology. Read our educational brochure. 
• Supporters Urge SCC Approval of Dominion’s Advanced-Technology Power Station in Southwest Virginia. Read the news release. 
• Comments of Barbara Altizer - Executive Director, Eastern Coal Council: View interview video. 
• Comments of Skip Skinner - Wise County Administrator: View interview video.  
• Project update from James K. Martin, 9/19/07: (PDF) (Powerpoint - 2.7 mb) 
• Virginia seeks approval for power station. Read the news release. 
• Site chosen in Wise County for evaluation. Read the news release. 
• Presentations: (PDF - 2.15 mb) (Powerpoint - 3.80 mb) 
• Comments of James K. Martin - VP Technical Services, Dominion. Read news conference remarks.

CFB Technology

Advanced circulating fluidized bed technology is proven clean-coal technology that also enables the using of run-of-mine coal, waste coal and renewable energy sources, such as wood waste. CFB technology combined with modern post-combustion controls has low emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and mercury.

This technology is compatible with the need to be able to use a wide variety of fuels available in the region and compatible with the requirement to construct and operate a facility in an environmentally responsible manner that minimizes overall impact to air, water and land resources.

Site Selection

A Virginia City site near St. Paul, Va. (a reclaimed surface coal mine) was selected for the project. The Virginia City site meets the major criteria for the project to proceed, including an adequate fuel and water supply, electrical transmission requirements, construction logistics and minimal environmental impact.

• View an image of the site before construction began.

Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contract

On February 23, 2007, The Shaw Group Inc. was awarded an engineering, procurement and construction contract by Dominion.

The preliminary scope of the agreement included a development phase to perform engineering, finalize major equipment selections and complete final cost estimates. Following completion of the development phase, Shaw continued with engineering, procurement and construction activities.

Local Benefits

Employment — The station will provide nearly 1,000 jobs during construction and require a permanent staff of more than 75 people once it begins operating.  It will create about 350 mining jobs. For information about employment opportunities at the construction job site, contact the Shaw Employment Warehouse Facility at 276-762-5585.

Tax Revenues and Benefits — A Virginia Tech economic impact study concluded that the station will generate about $440 million a year in tax revenues and other benefits for Wise County. The station, upon completion, will provide clean, reliable and economic electricity for Virginia families and businesses.

Fan Care — Dominion Virginia Power has expanded Fan Care to aid elderly in Southwest Virginia.

Station Rendering

An artist's rendering of how the station might appear upon completion is available for viewing or download. Choose from low-resolution or high-resolution versions.

Groundbreaking Ceremony

More than 300 state local officials and supporters joined Dominion executives on August 14, 2008, for the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center in Wise County.

Speaking from beneath a tent erected on the site of what eventually will be the 585-megawatt station's power block, Tom Farrell, chairman, president and chief executive officer, told the audience:

"The Commonwealth of Virginia needs this station. Without the Virginia City facility and others like it, our state would become increasingly dependent on high-priced electricity produced elsewhere — and risk losing the economic strength that led Forbes.com to name Virginia the best state in the nation in which to do business for the third year in a row."

"Wherever Dominion does business, we make a concerted effort to be a good corporate citizen and neighbor. Giving back to the community is an integral part of our heritage and corporate culture. In keeping with these values, Dominion would like to donate $25,000 to Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc... Our gift will go to Mountain Empire's emergency fuel fund, which helps the region's elderly residents pay their heating and cooling bills."

Joining Farrell on the speakers' platform were Virginia Lt. Governor William T. Bolling, Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk, State Senator William C. Wampler, State Senator Phillip P. Puckett and Delegate Clarence "Bud" Phillips.

Also Joining Farrell were Delegate Dan Bowling, Chairman Robert R. Adkins, Wise County Board of Supervisors, Mark F. McGettrick, President and CEO, Dominion Generation, James K. Martin, Senior Vice President, Dominion Business Development and Generation Construction, Duane Akridge, President of Wise County Chamber of Commerce, Joyce Payne, Executive Director of the Wise County Chamber of Commerce and Jonathan Belcher, Executive Director of the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority.

Photos from the Event

• View a photo of the groundbreaking ceremony.
• View a photo of Mr. Farrell addressing the audience at the VCHEC groundbreaking ceremony.
• View a photo of the check presentation. Pictured left to right: Mr. Farrell, Mr. Dennis Horton, Deputy Executive Director of the Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Mr. Martin and Mr. McGettrick.