RUSTBURG, Va. – Campbell County is the site of Appalachian Power’s third solar project to go online in less than a year.  The company receives solar energy from the Depot Solar project through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with hep energy, a worldwide developer, builder, and operator of solar farms for energy generation.

Located on 317 acres in Rustburg, the Depot Solar facility began providing Appalachian Power with 15 megawatts (MW) of carbon-free energy over the summer. The energy provided is capable of powering 2,600 homes.

The company also purchases solar power from facilities in Henry and Wythe counties. Each produces 20 MW of energy for the company.

“It is rewarding to watch each of these projects from construction to completion,” said Aaron Walker, Appalachian Power president and chief operating officer. “Depot Solar is our third PPA in Virginia, and we want to thank Campbell County and the developer for their guidance and commitment throughout this process.”

"In a time where energy costs are on the rise, adding electricity to the grid by harvesting energy from the sun can help bring down costs for consumers over the long haul, said Campbell County Supervisor Jon Hardie, who represents the Rustburg area. “While we need to continue to maximize the use of fossil fuels, solar energy helps quench and meet our energy consumption needs."

By law, Appalachian Power must provide 100 percent carbon free energy for its customers by 2050. The company intends to meet its Virginia Clean Economy Act targets primarily through future investments in solar, wind, energy storage, and energy efficiency measures.

“We are excited about the clean, sustainable energy that Depot Solar will provide for years to come,” said Wayne Marshall, CEO of Petra Energy. “And we are grateful to partner with Campbell County and Appalachian Power to bring this project to reality and continue pushing the energy transition forward."

Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is part of American Electric Power, which is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million customers in 11 states. AEP is also one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 7,100 megawatts of renewable energy.