“The really big news on the wind front is..in Virginia, which has practically zero megawatts to its credit, onshore or off. That’s about to change all at once. Utility regulators in Virginia just stamped their seal of approval on a massive, Texas-sized offshore wind farm to the tune of 176 wind turbines totaling almost 2.6 gigawatts.

The new offshore wind farm comes under the umbrella of the Virginia-based company Dominion Energy.

Virginia’s State Corporation Commission approved the 2.6 gigawatt array of 176 turbines on August 5, stating that each turbine is “designed to generate 14.7 megawatts.”

The cost of the offshore plan has been an issue. “The project is expected to have a capital cost of $9.8 billion and will likely be the largest capital investment, and single largest project, in the history of Dominion Energy Virginia,” the State Corporation Commission explained in a press release announcing its approval of the plan.

As it stands, ratepayers will pick up the tab. SCC anticipates an average monthly bill increase of $4.72, peaking out at $14.22 in 2027.”

A big offshore wind energy project for Virginia is a good plan. Can we get some energy justice in there on Dominion passing the costs on even to lower income customers for whom rate increases will be oppressive. And while we are at energy justice, feeling a bit queasy when a huge wind project is coming from Dominion Energy, formerly mainly a natural gas company. Oh, Dominion, there is no such thing as “clean” or “renewable” natural gas. Being invisible don’t make it so. Shut down all your gas operations and it will be easier to trust you.