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VICTORIA – The developers of the first solar facility in Lunenburg County are making good on their promises to provide the county with substantial revenue – before construction even starts.

Known as Red Brick Solar,  Apex Clean Energy of Charlottesville and SolUnesco of Reston are set to construct a 130-megawatt solar facility with construction to begin as soon as June.

Last month Apex Clean Energy delivered the second substantial $583,334 payment.

This payment comes within 30 days after the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s final approval of the permit-by-rule application.

Red Brick’s first payment to the county was $500,000 and came within 60 days after it approved the CUP last year. 

According to the siting agreement, another payment of $1,083,333 will be dispersed immediately after the county approves the final building permit. Additionally, the developer will pay the county $1,083,333 immediately after commercial operation begins.

During the June 9 2021 Board of Supervisors meeting, supervisors voted to approve a siting agreement that has been at the forefront of the project’s holdup.

Before the vote, John Puvak of Gentry Locke Attorneys, who represents Red Brick Solar, said developers would be investing 16.1 million into the County for the life of the project.

“Red Brick will put up over $2 million before construction even starts,” Puvak said. “This project will have a meaningful impact on the county’s commercial tax base. This project will create $197,000 in additional tax revenues/revenue share in the first year of operations and every year over the life of the project with 10% increases in this amount every five years.”

 

Where will those funds be used?

Now that Lunenburg County has over $ 1 million in revenue from the Red Brick project with more funds to come, the K-V Dispatch reached out to County Administrator Tracy Gee to inquire as to if those funds would be used to help with tax reduction, school construction projects, etc. 

“The funds will be purposed as they are received,” Gee said, “The second payment has been deposited in Emergency Services Capital for future use.”