This content was originally published on Southern Virginia NOW
When I attended the recent Mecklenburg Board of Supervisors meeting, the energy in the room was unmistakable. There was a powerful wave of community support for Dominion Energy’s Finneywood Solar project, with advocates from the South-Central Virginia Business Alliance, construction partners like Kiewit, and even a local sheep grazing operation. The message was clear: Mecklenburg County is ready to build its future.
Our members live and work here. They are neighbors, taxpayers, coaches, and parents, and they are the experts who built much of the energy infrastructure in the Commonwealth. We understand what rural counties like Mecklenburg need to stay strong and independent. That’s why we view the Finneywood project, capable of powering up to 25,000 homes at peak output, not just as a construction job, but as an essential piece of our county’s longevity.
Our union has built most of the data center development in Mecklenburg County. We see firsthand the power demands these modern facilities place on the grid, consuming up to a quarter of the state’s electricity. Because of this, data centers are projected to more than double Virginia’s energy demand by 2040. We are already starting to see initial signs that there will soon not be enough energy to power the industry on which Mecklenburg is relying for growth.
Solar is the necessary complement to that data center growth. Allowing this project to proceed would have been a direct, quick-turn opportunity to address this rising demand, helping to keep the lights on and potentially lowering bills for everyone. When the county stalls a well-supported, high-impact project like Finneywood, it sends a message that Mecklenburg is not serious about securing the energy required to support its residents and booming technology sector.
Beyond the infrastructure and energy security, projects like Finneywood mean jobs. We’ve already opened a new training facility in La Crosse, where 13 apprentices are currently enrolled in our fully funded, no-debt program. These are young, local workers preparing for life-changing careers right here in their hometowns. Yet, without local projects offering jobs, that opportunity for stable, career-path jobs is lost, and there will be no work for Local 80 to win.
The Board’s vote wasn’t just about approval; it was a decision on whether to support our energy future and local job creation. We urge the county to stop viewing solar as a challenge and start seeing it for what it is. The indispensable partner to our data centers. Jobs for our kids and grandkids. A critical investment that our community cannot afford to miss. By ensuring a fair shot for future projects, Mecklenburg keeps its own door open to a stronger, more independent future.