
Dominion (NYSE:D) and its regulated utility in Virginia have started commercial operation of the 1,358-MW Brunswick combined-cycle natural gas power plant.
The plant in Brunswick County started producing electricity for utility customers on April 25, Dominion said in a news release. The station was needed to meet growing demand and to replace electricity from aging coal-fired power stations as Dominion transitions to a cleaner energy future.
Brunswick continues Dominion’s recent building spree of combined-cycle power plants in Virginia. The Virginia State Corporation Commission recently approved Dominion plans to build a combined-cycle gas plant in western Greensville County, Virginia.
Construction on the Brunswick station began in August of 2013. At the height of construction, the station had more than 1,500 workers on site. Upon commencement of operations, Brunswick Power Station will have 43 employees and an annual payroll of about $7.5m, the company said.
“The Brunswick Power Station is destined to be a workhorse, using combined-cycle technology that is clean and efficient and will produce reliable, low-cost energy for our 2.5 million customers,” said Paul Koonce, CEO of Dominion Generation Group. “I commend the Generation Construction team on the successful, on-schedule, on-budget completion of an important project.”