nuke fiasco aftermath

Dominion Energy believes an environmental group’s charges are inaccurate.

“From lowering greenhouse gas emissions to preserving wildlife habitats, we work hard to protect our natural resources,” Eric Boomhower of Dominion told the Chronicle.

“Over the last 2 decades we’ve significantly lowered emissions in our electric and natural gas infrastructure fleets and vastly expanded renewable energy.

“More than 85% of our generation comes from clean energy sources or natural gas-fired generation that supports renew-ables, and only 13% of our electricity comes from coal, down from 40% just over a decade ago.

“Last year, we met our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50% since 2005. We are committing to continue this progress to meet an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“Since 2013, we have invested more than $3.5 billion in renewables. With the 4th largest solar portfolio in the US, we have invested in enough solar to power 650,000 homes.

“By 2022, we plan to add another 3000 megawatts of wind and solar spearheaded by our offshore wind development, the largest project of its kind in the US. This addition would power 750,000 homes.

“We are partnering to help reduce greenhouse gases in other industries. Dominion Energy and partners have already committed more than $700 million over the next decade to capturing waste methane from hog farms, dairy farms, landfills and other waste facilities and converting it into renewable natural gas for local homes and businesses.

“We are moving aggressively to close old coal ash ponds and landfills that store the byproduct of coal burning power production.

“For example, in South Carolina, Dominion Energy finished voluntarily removing more than 3.5 million dry tons of coal ash from an wet storage “pond” the Wateree Station power plant near Eastover.

“We can’t make energy without water. But we can reduce the amount of water we use and try to return that water to its original source. We’re also reducing water use by shifting power generation from conventional to renewable sources that don’t require water for cooling, and we’re using low-water technologies like air-cooled condensers when we must rely on fossil fuels.

“The Atlantic Coast Pipeline will support our solar and wind infrastructure during the hours when they aren’t producing energy.

“Throughout the design and construction phases, we’ve gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to protect sensitive environments and waterways. We have made more than 300 route adjustments to the 600-mile ACP, wherever possible avoiding wetlands, public drinking water sources, wildlife habitats, private wells, natural springs, and sensitive features such as sinkholes and sinking rivers.

“These are just a few examples that highlight our ongoing commitment to provide safe and affordable energy while also meeting the human and environmental needs of the communities we serve.”