Dominion Virginia Power Seeks State Approval for Natural Gas-Fired Power Station in Central Virginia

* Project already has key environmental permits for combined-cycle power station
* Station would generate about 580 megawatts, enough electricity for 145,000 homes
* Unit scheduled to begin operations in summer 2011

RICHMOND, Va. – Dominion Virginia Power today applied with the Virginia State Corporation Commission for permission to build a 580-megawatt power station to help meet the projected growing demand for electricity from its 2.3 million Virginia customers.

The proposed natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power station would be in Buckingham County, Va., about 60 miles west of Richmond. Dominion closed March 4 on the acquisition of the power station development project from Tenaska, one of the nation’s largest independent power producers.

In its filing, Dominion asked the SCC to approve the projected $619 million project in time for it to begin operating by summer 2011. The project already has key environmental permits, including the required air and water discharge permits, which will be transferred and/or modified as necessary. Dominion plans to build a 2-on-1 unit, in which two combustion turbines generate electricity and exhaust heat produces steam to generate additional electricity.

“Our Virginia customers are projected to demand at least 4,000 megawatts of additional electric capacity from us during the next decade,” said Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “This power station will be a component of a balanced mix, along with energy conservation and other new generation and new technologies, to meet the demand.”

The station would be built on a site across the James River from Dominion’s Bremo Power Station. The project is expected to generate 300 construction jobs, and would provide 20 full-time positions when operating.