By Matt de Simone
The Rocky Forge Wind project remains ongoing in the Eagle Rock area as it was announced during last week’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors that Botetourt County staff and representatives with VDOT met again with Apex Clean Energy representatives last month to receive an update on projected timelines and discuss outstanding plat/plan review items. Outstanding state and federal permits are still under review, according to last week’s meeting agenda.
A county representative shared with the board that Apex continues work to address all outstanding comments to resubmit onsite and offsite plans and county staff have provided additional guidance and detail on the required sequencing to finalize the multiple interconnected plats, plans, and bonding details prior to a scheduled meeting next month.
For the last three years, Apex and the county have continued mowing over appeals, timelines, and planning items. As previously reported, in 2016, Apex received an approval from the county for the construction of 13 turbines with a maximum height of 643 feet. The project is expected to produce enough energy to power up to 21,000 homes and will have on-site transmission lines where the power will be distributed to a high-voltage grid on the construction site.
The project has seemingly slowed down in the last three years since members of Apex Clean Energy addressed some of the public comments and questions about the Rocky Forge Wind Project at a Board of Supervisors meeting in spring of 2021. The board was concerned that the project was showing little progress and added a condition, at the recommendation of the Planning Commission, that required the project to receive final site plan approval by May 26, 2021. A final site plan was not approved by that deadline.
At one point in time, the project had a full notice to proceed in summer of 2021 with commercial operations scheduled to commence later in fall of 2022, which remains delayed. Since then, Apex and the county have spent the last two years mulling over appeals, timelines, and planning items.
For more information on the wind project, visit www.rockyforgewind.com.
