Richmond Times-Dispatch published a letter to the editor submitted by Kim Jemaine in which she highlights Virginia's Dominion Energy's most recent Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and advocates for more implementation of clean energy technologies rather than their suggested use of more nuclear reactors.

On Wednesday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch published an article on Virginia’s Dominion Energy’s most recent “Integrated Resource Plan” (IRP) to meet the state’s future energy demands. Based on over-inflated forecasts, the utility announced it can only meet future demand they foresee by keeping fossil-fired power plants online, reneging on their commitments to close them by 2045, and / or by constructing multiple new, nuclear reactors using technology that’s currently still in R&D.  

Demand is likely to rise with transportation electrification and the growth of data centers, but we don’t have to blindly accept Dominion’s inflated outlook. We’ve seen this play before: The utility forecasts accelerating demand, uses it to justify their expensive plans, then we’re left holding the bag when it doesn’t materialize. 

Keeping the lights on is a priority for everyone. Advanced energy can help maintain, even strengthen, grid reliability and resilience.   Rather than defer to an expensive and dirty business as usual, Dominion’s IRP should be maximizing its investments in cost-saving technology solutions like energy efficiency, distributed solar and storage, and ‘demand response’ tools that pay customers for managing on energy use during peak demand times. This will keep the lights on, reduce the need for fossil-fired power plants, and lower costs for Virginia families. 

Read the full article (paywalled) here.