The Charles City combined-cycle power project is a 1,060MW gas-fired power plant being developed by independent power producer C4GT in Charles City County, Virginia, US.
C4GT is being assisted by the local project development company NOVI Energy for the management and implementation of the project.
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Construction work on the project was expected to begin in 2019, with commercial operation commencing in 2022. However, the work was stalled due to environmental justice concerns.
Upon commissioning, the Charles City combined-cycle power plant will provide electricity to PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organisation that is the largest provider of electricity in the eastern US.
Electricity generated by the gas-fired power project will be provided to more than 750,000 households in the greater Richmond area in Virginia.
It will also support Virginia’s flourishing data centre industry by providing a reliable electricity supply.
The project is expected to create approximately 1,000 employment opportunities during the peak construction phase.
Charles City combined-cycle power project development details
C4GT sought the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s (SSC) permission for the development and operation of the power plant in September 2016. SSC approved a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the project in May 2017.
PJM Interconnection released an impact study report for the interconnection of the 1,060MW gas-fired plant in June 2017, which estimated that an additional investment of $11.1m would be required for the upgrade of the existing transmission system.
C4GT secured all regulatory permissions and licences required for the Charles City power project by the end of 2018.
NOVI Energy developed the initial design and concept layouts of the plant. It also developed site-specific technical parameters and the financial pro forma for the project, with input from key players in the power generating equipment manufacturing industry.
Charles City combined-cycle plant location and make-up
The Charles City combined-cycle power plant will be developed on an 88ha site near Roxbury Industrial Park, approximately a mile away from the Chickahominy substation of Dominion Virginia Power.
The site has direct access to the state highway, electric transmission lines and a refined liquids line.
Equipped with two General Electric (GE) 7HA.02 gas turbines, the combined-cycle plant will have a steam turbine and two heat recovery steam generators (HRSG). Nominal power generation capacity of each 7HA.02 gas turbine will be 384MW while steam generated by the HRSGs will be utilised by the steam turbine for additional power generation.
The gas-fired power facility will also feature two cooling towers, a gas storage facility, control and electrical buildings, as well as other associated infrastructure.
Gas required for power generation at the plant will be supplied through the 16in intrastate gas pipeline owned by Virginia Natural Gas.
Electricity transmission
Electricity generated by the plant will be transmitted to the grid of Virginia Electric through a single-circuit 500kV line connecting the AB2-068 generator substation and the Chickahominy substation.
Existing shield wire poles at the site will be relocated for the new 500kV transmission line. The transmission infrastructure upgrade will include the installation of new metering equipment and capacitor voltage transformers (CVT) for seamless transmission of electricity.
Financing for the Charles City power plant
Funding required for the development of the Virginia C4GT power plant is being provided by Ares Charles City, an operational subsidiary of Ares EIF Management.
Contractors involved
NOVI Energy is responsible for the development and management of the Charles City combined-cycle power project.
GE Power was selected as the gas turbine supplier for the plant in March 2019.
