Virginia's Largest Rooftop Solar Project Coming to Sterling

By the end of July, Dominion Virginia Power in Sterling will begin installation of more than 3,000 solar panels capable of generating more than 800 kilowatts of energy, or enough to power nearly 200 homes.

Nearly 102,000 square feet of panels will be installed atop two buildings adjacent to the Prologis Concorde Distribution Center as part of the $2.5 million project. The panels are expected to be operational in October and all generated electricity will flow to the power grid used by Dominion Virginia Power customers.

Dominion Virginia Power is the Commonwealth’s largest electric utility with nearly 2.4 million subscribers, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. The installation is the company’s first Northern Virginia project in Dominion’s Solar Partnership Program, which allows the company to lease rooftops or ground space of commercial, industrial or public facilities. When the company’s plan to construct and operate up to 30 megawatts of company-owned solar facilities, the program is expected to generate enough power for up to 7,500 homes.

"Our customers in Northern Virginia are focused on renewable energy and this installation reflects Dominion's commitment to understanding how solar power can fit into our generation mix," said Ken Barker, vice president of Customer Solutions in a statement. "The partnership with Prologis will enable us to evaluate the benefits and study the impact of distributed solar generation on our electric grid."