Dominion Virginia Power is rolling out its pilot solar purchase program on June 20. Under the plan, qualifying homeowners and businesses generate and sell electricity and solar renewable energy certificates directly to Dominion at a rate of 15 cents per kWh.
Virginia's State Corporation Commission approved Dominion's solar purchase program in April. As a pilot program, Dominion says it will limit participation to a total of 3 MW of PV power generated statewide. Of that amount, the utility says approximately 60% will be dedicated to residential customers and 40% to non-residential. The program is currently scheduled to run for five years.
The solar purchase program is not the power company's first foray into solar energy. In May, it selected Old Dominion University (ODU) as the first participant in its Solar Partnership Program, which seeks to build 30 MW of PV capacity on rooftops across the state. The power company says it is installing over 600 solar panels on ODU's student recreation center this summer that will be able to generate 132 kW.
