RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s energy debate sharpened on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, as two Dominion Energy storylines collided: the utility’s push for new, fast-response power to meet booming demand—and a parallel push for cleaner, quieter alternatives to the diesel equipment that keeps communities running during outages and events.
On one track, Dominion-backed partners are promoting a towable, solar-charged mobile battery—marketed as a “silent generator”—aimed at replacing diesel generators at festivals, worksites, and emergency deployments. On the other, state regulators have paused Dominion’s approval to build the Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center, a 944-megawatt natural gas plant, after environmental and civil rights groups asked the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) to reconsider whether the project meets Virginia’s climate and environmental justice laws. [1]
Together, the developments illustrate the same core tension playing out across the commonwealth: how to keep the lights on—quickly and affordably—while Virginia transitions toward cleaner power.
The “silent generator”: a trailer-sized battery built for mobile power
On Thursday, Dec. 18, Dominion Energy unveiled a portable power unit that runs on solar energy stored in an onboard battery, rather than diesel. It’s being promoted as a cleaner option for small businesses, utilities, and public agencies that need temporary electricity without the noise and emissions of conventional generators. [2]
The product is identified as the Green Grid 90kWh MBESS (mobile battery energy storage system). In reporting on the unveiling, Dominion said the unit can power a medium-sized food truck for about nine hours, and it’s intended for mobile uses like festivals and other temporary power needs. [3]
Dominion Energy Virginia President Ed Baine framed it as a step-change in portable electricity, calling it: “the next generation of mobile power sources.” [4]
Who makes it and where it’s built
While Dominion says its employees developed the concept, the unit is set to be manufactured and sold by Power Up Connect, a Maryland-based company, and is available for commercial purchase. [5]
Trade coverage and industry briefs describe the system as under 5,000 pounds and towable by a mid-sized SUV, positioning it as a realistic replacement for diesel units in places where fuel delivery is hard, costly, or impractical. [6]
Why safety certifications matter for mobile batteries
A major hurdle for large batteries in public settings is permitting and safety sign-off. Industry reporting notes that Power Up Connect has emphasized compliance and safety certifications (including UL standards) as critical for deployments where fire marshals and permitting offices decide whether a battery system can operate at events or in dense public areas. [7]
Key capabilities, as described by the company and industry coverage
Across reporting and industry briefs, the Green Grid/MBESS concept is described as:
- 90 kWh of battery storage with up to 30 kW maximum output (as described in trade and industry coverage) [8]
- Onboard solar around 1.1 kW, with an option to expand solar capacity substantially for off-grid charging [9]
- Ability to daisy-chain multiple units for larger combined capacity in multi-trailer deployments [10]
- Designed use cases spanning disaster response, events, and remote worksites, including powering everything from standard appliances to EV charging in some configurations [11]
WTVR/CBS 6’s coverage described the concept similarly as a solar-powered generator on wheels intended as a cleaner, quieter alternative to diesel. [12]
Regulators hit pause on Dominion’s 944-MW Chesterfield gas plant
While Dominion’s mobile battery story highlights cleaner backup power, the biggest utility fight in Virginia right now centers on grid-scale reliability—and whether the state should lock in decades of new fossil generation to meet fast-rising electricity demand.
On Dec. 19, Platts reported that Virginia regulators have suspended their prior approval of Dominion’s Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center as they consider a challenge to the project. [13]
What the SCC pause means
According to Platts, the SCC issued an order on Dec. 16 putting its Nov. 25 approval on hold after a petition filed the prior day asked the agency to reconsider whether it satisfied legal requirements—particularly under the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) and the Virginia Environmental Justice Act (VEJA). [14]
In its earlier decision, regulators had agreed with Dominion that the plant addresses an “imminent reliability threat.” But the pause signals the SCC will re-open the matter long enough to examine whether the approval was legally and procedurally sound. [15]
The challenge: climate law, environmental justice, and cost
The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), representing Appalachian Voices, the Chesterfield NAACP, and Mothers Out Front, said the SCC has granted reconsideration and suspended its approval while the petition is reviewed. [16]
Platts summarized key allegations in the petition, including that regulators:
- did not adequately analyze air emissions and health risks to nearby communities as required under VEJA, and [17]
- applied too low a bar for Dominion to qualify for the VCEA’s reliability exception that can allow new fossil generation even as the law pushes toward decarbonization. [18]
In the same reporting, Dominion’s projected cost for the plant is described as nearly $1.5 billion (excluding financing), and the paused SCC approval included an initial ratepayer cost recovery component beginning in 2026. [19]
What Dominion says it needs the plant for: surging demand
Dominion has argued that the Chesterfield project is needed to meet “soaring demand,” which regulators and multiple outlets have linked largely to Virginia’s expanding data center industry. [20]
Inside Climate News’ earlier reporting on the Nov. 25 approval described the Chesterfield facility as a fast-start “peaker” designed to kick in at high-demand moments, and noted it still requires an air permit review by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). [21]
The DEQ air-permit file shows what the Chesterfield project would include
Separate from SCC’s utility approval, DEQ’s public project summary provides a window into what Chesterfield would look like on the ground and in the air-permitting process.
DEQ describes the proposal as a simple-cycle generating station at the Chesterfield Power Station site, with major equipment that includes: [22]
- Four 250 MW simple-cycle combustion turbines (capable of burning natural gas, natural gas blended with hydrogen up to 10%, and low-sulfur distillate fuel oil) [23]
- Seven black-start generators firing ultra-low sulfur diesel [24]
- Additional infrastructure including circuit breakers using SF6 as an insulating gas and fuel oil storage tanks [25]
DEQ’s project page also lists proposed emissions totals, including CO₂e emissions of roughly 2.2 million tons per year (as presented in the permitting summary table). [26]
This DEQ record matters because even if Dominion ultimately clears the SCC hurdle again, major questions will still hinge on air permitting timelines, emissions modeling, and community impact analysis.
Why the mobile battery and the gas plant fight are colliding in Virginia politics
The timing is notable: the same week the SCC pause became headline news, Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger rolled out an affordability agenda that includes a proposal aimed squarely at the reliability debate—requiring large utilities like Dominion to expand energy-storage capacity to support renewables like solar and wind. [27]
The Washington Post reported on Dec. 19 that Spanberger’s plan calls for increased storage capacity to help balance “intermittent” renewables, and it noted that Gov. Glenn Youngkin had vetoed similar energy-related bills previously. [28]
That political backdrop helps explain why Dominion’s portable battery rollout is resonating beyond the “cool tech” factor:
- Battery storage is increasingly being framed as a reliability tool—especially for short-duration needs and emergency response.
- Gas peakers are being framed by Dominion and some regulators as a reliability backstop for a grid stressed by unprecedented load growth.
- Environmental justice advocates argue the costs and pollution burdens shouldn’t be concentrated in communities that have long hosted fossil infrastructure. [29]
In practical terms, Virginia’s energy system may end up using both: mobile batteries for temporary and emergency power, and a longer-term mix of resources to cover peak demand—while policymakers and regulators fight over which investments should be prioritized and who should pay.
What happens next to watch in late 2025 and 2026
Here are the key near-term milestones implied by current reporting and agency records:
1) SCC reconsideration process for Chesterfield
The SCC’s suspension means the case is not “done,” and the record will be examined again in response to the petition. Platts’ reporting emphasizes the pause is specifically to allow regulators time to consider the challenge on its merits. [30]
2) DEQ permitting and public record
DEQ’s file shows the Chesterfield project has moved through revised permitting applications over time and lays out the equipment and emissions framework being reviewed. [31]
3) Commercial rollout and early deployments of the mobile battery system
The Green Grid/MBESS system is being marketed as available for commercial purchase and intended for real-world deployments ranging from festivals to emergency response—exactly the kinds of situations where diesel generators are currently the default. [32]
Virginia’s energy future is being shaped in real time by these parallel developments: new tools that can reduce emissions in the “backup power” world, and a high-stakes regulatory battle over whether the state should build another major fossil plant to keep up with demand growth. On Dec. 19, regulators, advocates, and the incoming administration all signaled that the next phase of that debate is only beginning. [33]
References
1. www.richmonder.org, 2. www.richmonder.org, 3. www.richmonder.org, 4. www.richmonder.org, 5. www.richmonder.org, 6. www.nacleanenergy.com, 7. www.ess-news.com, 8. www.nacleanenergy.com, 9. www.nacleanenergy.com, 10. www.nacleanenergy.com, 11. www.nacleanenergy.com, 12. www.wtvr.com, 13. www.tradingview.com, 14. www.tradingview.com, 15. www.tradingview.com, 16. www.selc.org, 17. www.tradingview.com, 18. www.tradingview.com, 19. www.tradingview.com, 20. www.tradingview.com, 21. insideclimatenews.org, 22. www.deq.virginia.gov, 23. www.deq.virginia.gov, 24. www.deq.virginia.gov, 25. www.deq.virginia.gov, 26. www.deq.virginia.gov, 27. www.washingtonpost.com, 28. www.washingtonpost.com, 29. www.tradingview.com, 30. www.tradingview.com, 31. www.deq.virginia.gov, 32. www.richmonder.org, 33. www.tradingview.com
