James City recommends 650MW Grove battery storage plant

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes · Last updated: 12 October 2026

James City County planning commissioners voted 5-2 to recommend approval of a 650-megawatt battery storage plant, substation and switchyard on a 220-acre site in Grove off Pocahontas Trail. The project would tie into Dominion Energy’s 500-kilovolt Surry-Skiffes Creek transmission line and is proposed by Tenaska in partnership with Pelican Energy Storage. Supporters say the lithium-ion installation will store power for use when demand spikes and deliver about 150 construction jobs over two years; opponents warned of fire and chemical risks including "thermal runaway." The decision and local coverage were first reported by the Daily Press on Oct. 9, 2026 (published 12:37 PM EDT; updated 2:02 PM EDT).

They're banks of batteries that are connected to the grid,

Keith Latham

How the commission decided and what residents said

The planning commission forwarded a favorable recommendation after a 5-2 roll call; Crystal Haskins and chair Kira Allman opposed the motion. Planning commissioner Jack Haldeman argued the project would spur economic development and relieve pressure on county revenues, while others accepted staff findings that the use fits an industrial area.

Residents at the hearing and at an earlier Sept. 29 informational meeting hosted by Pelican Energy said they fear fire risk, airborne toxins and construction disruption. Suzanne Berthier warned about "thermal runaway," saying fires in batteries can trigger others and release dangerous chemicals; Cathy Reynolds told commissioners she felt Grove residents’ views were being sidelined in favor of revenue.

Christopher Balser, an apprentice with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, spoke in favor of local hiring, and the county's planning staff reported that the nearest residential neighbor is almost a mile from the site. The recommendation advances the file to the Board of Supervisors for a final decision.

Site history and how the plant would connect to the grid

The proposed location occupies an abandoned industrial footprint with a multi-decade manufacturing past. Dow Chemical Co. developed the riverside property in 1958 to make acrylic fibers; BASF Corp. acquired it in 1978 and operated there until 1989 when Mann Industries bought part of the site. Mann filed for bankruptcy in 1993 and the facility went inactive; BASF later reacquired portions and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality declared the property remediated in 2021.

Tenaska’s site plan shows battery units and a substation tied into Dominion Energy’s 500-kilovolt Surry-Skiffes Creek transmission line that crosses the parcel. A 2019 file photo in local coverage shows the Surry-Skiffes Creek line from Hog Island, underscoring why grid access is a central justification for locating storage here.

Planners described the proposal as a low-impact industrial reuse of a waterfront site and said it is not expected to generate significant sustained traffic or noise during operations, though construction will be more intensive.

Developer claims, safety standards and next steps

Keith Latham of Tenasca, described in the hearing as representing the project, said the installation is "banks of batteries that are connected to the grid" and framed the project as a reliability and resilience resource. He called the reuse of the former BASF/Mann footprint a practical choice and noted the site’s distance to the nearest home.

Planner Allison Jackura told commissioners the use provides a low-impact industrial option for the parcel and that the project would adhere to national fire safety standards, an argument county staff used when recommending a special use permit. Locally, Pelican Energy Storage said it aims to be "a good neighbor" at outreach events, but residents pressed officials on whether national standards fully address thermal runaway risks specific to large lithium-ion banks.

The formal file awaiting Board of Supervisors review includes the special use permit and site plan; if approved, the developer expects construction to create about 150 jobs over a two-year build window. Exact permitting milestones and any mitigation measures the board requires remain to be set at the supervisors’ review.

Why this could go ahead — and what could stop it

The bottom line

The planning commission’s 5-2 recommendation keeps the 650-megawatt Grove battery storage proposal on track but does not guarantee approval: the Board of Supervisors must still vote and could attach conditions or deny the special use permit. The project leverages a remediated 220-acre industrial parcel and a direct connection to Dominion Energy’s 500-kilovolt Surry-Skiffes Creek line—factors that strengthen the technical and economic case. At the same time, resident concerns about thermal runaway and local disruption have already prompted vocal opposition. The supervisors’ review will test whether the county accepts staff assurances about safety and mitigation or sides with residents seeking stricter controls.

What to watch

• Watch for the Board of Supervisors’ final vote on the special use permit; no date has been set.
• Watch filings for the project's site plan and any conditions the Board requires; no date has been set.