Developers pitch 4.99 MW Powhatan Road community solar; neighbors raise traffic, runoff and disposal questions

Developer Kara Romaine told the King George County Board of Supervisors that her Powhatan Road project is designed as a 4.99-megawatt community-shared solar array that would participate in Virginia shared solar and connect to an existing three-phase distribution line.

"For a 4.99 megawatt project, this could serve up to 1,000 households and save subscribers about $5,400,000 over 20 years," Romaine said, explaining the subscription structure and the developer's plan to reserve 30% of project capacity for low-to-moderate-income customers.

The project would occupy roughly 24 acres of a 158-acre farm and retain forest buffers to the north and south. Romaine said the company would plant a 30-foot-wide landscaping buffer with 6-foot trees and submit a stormwater-management plan prepared by an engineering firm (Kimley-Horn) prior to disturbing the site.

Supervisors and neighbors raised three recurring concerns: construction traffic turning into tight local roads, stormwater runoff onto adjacent roadways, and the long-term disposal and decommissioning of panels.

"Have you had any conversations with VDOT about that road to make sure that if anything happens there, it's brought back up to standard?" Supervisor Bender asked, citing a dangerous turn on Port Conway Road used for construction access. The developer said that VDOT had reviewed the entrance and that construction routing has been considered, but acknowledged more coordination may be needed.

On disposal, the developer said modules would not be abandoned on site and that the project includes a decommissioning plan and a bond posted in the county's name, with periodic updates every five years as required by Virginia law.

Other project controls on the table: an 8-foot woven-wire fence instead of chain link, string inverters (presenter said they are quieter), a 20-foot-wide access entrance for each array, and coordination with fire and rescue and Department of Defense review for electromagnetic compatibility. The developer also said construction is expected to take six to nine months with three to four weeks of pile driving as the primary noisy phase.

Where it stands: the applicant agreed to staff-proposed conditions and said they would supply additional documentation requested by supervisors. Supervisors asked staff to check VDOT access and condition approvals and to ensure stormwater and decommissioning details are explicit before the county grants final land-disturbance approvals.

Neighbor engagement: the developer said neighbors visited the site and that one adjoining landowner subsequently told the applicant they would not seek an appeal after a detailed meeting with the project team.

The board did not vote on site plan approvals during the presentation; the matter will return to the county for conditions and any required hearings.