See below for a representative site plan of a small-scale project with similar components in a more forested environment.

All battery enclosures will be a minimum of 75 feet from the property lines. In addition to the battery enclosures, the project will also include equipment similar to what you would find in a substation: inverters, transformers, electric wires and poles, and a small building for communications equipment, etc.

Also, there will be climate control equipment integrated into the containers similar to the HVAC systems you would find in a home or business. Surrounding the project there will be fencing for security purposes and whatever additional screenings the County Board may require.

Safety in the design, construction, and operation of energy storage systems is our highest priority. Through code compliance, effective design, operation, and maintenance, battery energy storage systems are safe and the risk of thermal runaway and subsequent fire is extremely low. These types of low risk activities are familiar in our everyday lives, such as heating our houses with natural gas or driving a car.

Each battery enclosure is controlled and monitored 24/7/365, allowing the facility to be closely managed and safely operated. Each enclosure is equipped with an integrated system of sensors, alarms, and fire detection and suppression systems. The operational management systems will be designed, installed, and operated according to applicable national and local fire code standards and regulations, which include energy storage-specific regulations.

Additionally, we will continue to have regular contact with the local fire department to facilitate coordination and training opportunities that ensure first responders are adequately trained to handle any system incidents or safety concerns.

Yes. Many of us sleep with lithium-ion batteries right next to us (cell phones and laptops) or parked in our garage (electric vehicles). Energy storage projects are regularly built and operated in urban areas around the US and across the world, with very high safety records.

We use energy storage all of the time in our everyday lives. The same battery technologies that power your phone, computer, and other electronic devices are smaller versions of the battery energy storage systems connected to our electrical grid. Energy storage systems charge and store electricity when it is least expensive and/or when there is a surplus on the grid so that it can be used when electricity is most needed due to high costs and/or limited supply.

Energy storage projects are vital to ensure grid reliability and resiliency, especially as we see increases in the number of intermittent generators such as solar and wind on the electrical grid. They can assist in more efficiently using utility resources by expanding their capability to meet peak demand.

Additionally, during periods of grid stress, these energy storage systems can provide valuable extended operating power. When installed in a location adjacent to a substation, a battery energy storage system can deliver maximum value to the grid with the ability to support several electrical circuits. System deployment at substations can provide required overload support when the equipment is aging or if there is substantial load growth due to increased electrical demand. Energy storage systems can also provide daily voltage and ancillary services support.

Depending on the location and magnitude of storm impacts, the project could also help reduce the length and number of outages of the supply of electricity to Chesapeake residents during major storm and hurricane events, or accelerate the restoration of electricity in the event of an outage.

The Summer Sweet Energy Center will use proven technology such as lithium-ion batteries, which have been successfully deployed throughout the United States and here locally, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The US has hundreds of operational grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects totaling thousands of megawatts (MWs) of capacity. Virginia specifically has 110+ MWs of grid-scale BESS projects either in operation or under construction in 2023 across 9+ project sites. Many more energy storage projects are scheduled to reach commercial operation in the coming years as Virginia electric utilities work towards the targeted 3,100 MW of energy storage by 2035. Examples of existing battery energy storage systems in Virginia are listed below:

• Byllesby-Buck Hydroelectric Plant (4 MW) owned by APCo/AEP in Carroll County, VA
• Brokenburg (2MW) owned by Rappahanock Electric Cooperative in Spotsylvania County, VA
• Danville BESS (10 MW) owned by City of Danville – Danville Utilities in Danville, VA
• Martinsville BESS (9 MW) owned by City of Martinsville – Martinsville Electric Dept in Martinsville, VA
• Scott Solar + Storage BESS (12 MW) owned by Dominion Energy in Powahatan County, VA
• Ashland BESS (2 MW) owned by Dominion Energy in Ashland, VA
• New Kent Solar BESS (2 MW) owned by Dominion Energy in New Kent County, VA
• Dry Bridge BESS (20 MW) owned by Dominion Energy in Chesterfield County, VA – under construction
• Dulles Solar + Storage BESS (50 MW) owned by Dominion Energy in Loudoun County, VA – approved by the SCC and expected to start construction in 2023

Of the projects mentioned above, East Point was the developer supporting both the Brokenburg (now owned by the Rappahanock Electric Cooperative) and the Dry Bridge (now owned by Dominion) energy storage projects.

There are many factors that go into selecting a project site. The Summersweet Energy Center site was selected because of its proximity to the existing substation, the industrially zoned parcel, and the ability to replace the junk yard or the existing brownfield. The growing demand for electricity caused by the neighboring counties’ data center development and potential to mitigate transmission upgrades was also a factor.

We expect this facility to be in operation for at least 20 years, though the energy system’s useful life can vary based on use, maintenance, and augmentation activities. The project will follow a decommissioning plan in coordination with the local municipality, which safely removes all equipment from the site and transports component parts to the appropriate recycling or waste management facilities at the end of the project life.

Please see below for a list of additional resources if you want to learn more about BESS.
Click the individual items to open the resources.

• Rappahannock Electric Cooperative – video detailing their flagship BESS in Spotsylvania County
• American Clean Power (ACP): What is Energy Storage Fact Sheet
• American Clean Power (ACP): Energy Storage & Safety Fact Sheet
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Grid-Scale Battery Storage FAQ 
• Dominion Energy – Battery Storage Pilot Project Information
• Utility Dive: Archive of energy storage new storages