Construction update:
These are some of the construction updates and activities you can expect in the area surrounding the Cavalier solar project.
- Civil work across the project is nearing completion:
- Clearing / grubbing / burning to be complete by end of month
- Last remaining arrays (all East of Beechland) to be graded by mid-April, with heavy civil equipment to start de-mobilizing late April 2024
- All solar arrays East of Beechland are now 100% mechanically complete, with only testing / commissioning remaining
- 100% mechanically complete in IOW County
- 50% mechanically complete in Surry County
- Majority of overall labor force is now concentrated on remaining scope West of Beechland (along Whitemarch Rd.)
- Landscaping buffer work started in IOW on March 1, 2024
- Planting within IOW will be completed first with Surry County landscape buffers to follow in early April.
-
The majority of major material deliveries remaining across project will be focused along White Marsh / East of Beechland, and expected to be completed by early Q3 2024.
-
High voltage and medium voltage work connected to Dominion Substation is complete.
March 2024 Updates
- All glass modules have been installed in Cavalier A1, rough 189,000 modules are remaining to be installed in Cavalier A2 (A2 is primarily off Whitemarsh Road).
- Clearing/Burning activities on-going off Whitemarsh Road (Phase 3, Pod 2 & 3). Burning activities are tentatively scheduled to be fully completed site wide by mid March.
- Pile driving activities continue off Whitemarsh Road (Phase 3), and are tentatively scheduled to be fully completed by end of May 2024.
- County Road Updates designed to aid local traffic concerns raised:
- Two street sweepers will actively maintenance the county roads from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM on all days any work is being performed.
- One water truck will wash the roads at 11:30 AM and 5:00 PM on all days that work is being performed.
- Subcontractors have set up wash stations in their respective areas to wash off excessive mud from fenders and tires before leaving the site.
- Clean VDOT #1 stone is being added to the phase 3 pod 9 entrance spanning from Beechland Road to approximately 150 feet inward to the site.
- All other entrances will be monitored, and fresh stone will be added as needed to prevent track out from occurring.
- Additional County Road improvements:
- Stone shoulders to be added to Beechland Road to improve safe passing among local traffic.
First quarter 2024 updates
- Deliveries of materials will begin next week and will continue through Q1. All materials will be delivered (expected) by the middle of June.
- Pile installation will also be starting East of Beechland on Jan 15th. It will be intermittent as the inverter piles go in first, then production piles (full-time) starting the following week. Pile installation for the entire site is expected to be completed by mid-May.
- Clearing and burning are likely to be completed by the end of the month, weather permitting.
- Heavy earth moving activities should be complete by about the middle of March, weather permitting. Much of the heavy equipment is expected to be removed from the site at that point.
End of Year Holiday Schedule
- Last day of work: December 22, 2023 (end of shift)
- December 23, 2023-January 1, 2024 (no work)
- Return to work: January 2, 2024 (full day)
- Note: environmental and safety crews will be on standby during break for any concerns that may arise
Friday, November 17, 2023
Thanksgiving Week
- Reduced contractor presence on site beginning 11/17
- Mechanical work (pile driving, support structures, glass module install) only Mon/Tues/ ½ day Wed
- No work on site Thursday- Sunday 11/23-11/26
General Construction Timeline
- Asphalt construction entrances are complete along White Marsh Road
- Site civil work is complete on all areas West of Beechland Road, with civil activities east of Beechland Road on schedule with anticipated completion by Q2 2024.
- Majority of pile-driving activity complete with the only activity West of Beechland Road
- Solar arrays along Mill Swamp and Bellevue are now 100% mechanically complete. All areas west of Beechland to be mechanically complete by end of this year.
- Site is prepping to push power to the grid select areas West of Beechland in Mid-December.
- Majority of major material deliveries remaining across project will be focused along White Marsh / west of Beechland and expected to be completed by Q3 2024.
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
- Cavalier A, which comprises 155 MW and includes all portions of the project in Isle of Wight County along with all Surry County portions of the project west of Beechland Road, is 95% complete for civil work. Cavalier A also has 25% of its solar modules installed and 70% of its tracker/mechanical improvements installed.
- Cavalier A2, which comprises 85 MW and includes all portions of the project in Surry County east of Beechland Road, is 5% complete for civil work.
- Cavalier A is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2024 and Cavalier A2 is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2024.
- Shoulder improvements have been completed along Beechland Road / Jones Drive.
- The medium voltage transmission line pulls are completed.
- Mowing of undeveloped portions of the project will continue through the end of the growing season.
- Improvements to the project entrance along Bellevue Road are scheduled for completion the week of September 25.
Monday, June 12, 2023
AES and its contractors working on the Cavalier solar project site in Isle of Wight County and Surry Counties are installing a new transmission line for the project this month. This work may cause occasional, brief traffic delays during work hours as crews “pull” new power line across Beechland Road, between White Marsh Road and Burwells Bay Road, and across Burwells Bay Road north of the intersection with Beechland. Construction crews will use flaggers to manage traffic flow in the area when this work is taking place. These infrequent traffic delays, which will only occur when crews are actively “pulling” new transmission line across the roads, will typically last 10 to 15 minutes, and this work will be completed by the end of June.
Thursday, March 30, 2023
During the week of April 3, construction teams will begin to install the foundations for the solar panels. This is the first part of the construction process. Neighbors will notice the sound of hammering and construction machinery, including the sound of engines and the “clacking” of tracked vehicles working at the project site. The sounds will be noticeable to nearby households as the work nears, and noise levels will decrease for nearby homes as crews progress to different areas of the project site.
Monday, March 27, 2023
Oversized equipment transport to Cavalier project site completed successfully.
February 28, 2023
Deliveries to the construction site have begun, and you may see tractor trailers delivering materials to the Mt. Nebo lay down yard. Each of these trucks will be assigned an escort before delivering the materials to the areas where they are needed to ensure that trucks stay on the approved route.
AES is working with our contractor and subcontractors to ensure all truck drivers follow the approved route.
Project overview
240 MW of clean energy capacity
Enough clean energy to power 40,000 homes
Located in Isle of Wight and Surry counties, on Mill Swamp Road, about 8 miles west of Smithfield, Virginia
Project timeline
Environmental & economic benefits
The Cavalier solar project will make a significant economic contribution to both Isle of Wight and Surry Counties.
787 construction jobs and approximately 10 full-time equivalent jobs during the facility’s operational life
$990,000+ in annual economic output in Surry and Isle of Wight Counties
$2 million in cumulative county tax revenue in Isle of Wight over operational lifetime
Community engagement
AES is headquartered in Virginia and is committed to being a good neighbor to the communities of Isle of Wight and Surry Counties and to the Commonwealth. We work diligently to maximize the positive economic and social impacts our clean energy projects have on local communities.
Supporting a strong community
AES is dedicated to supporting local programs and initiatives to help build a stronger, more connected community:
- Sponsored the Clean Energy Challenges, allowing Smithfield High School students to participate and make it to the national competition
- Supported the Economic Development Agency to provide grants to small businesses
- Supported Crater Regional Workforce Development
- Donated to First Baptist Church in Spring Grove
- Sponsored meals for seniors from Virginia Diner
- Sponsored Surry County and Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce programs
Meet your AES team