Clear early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 42F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..
Clear early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 42F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: February 20, 2026 @ 6:52 pm
Nearly four weeks after a major sewer line collapsed in Montgomery County, Maryland, the impact continues to ripple downstream with a recreational advisory for the Potomac River now reaching King George.
Virginia could become the first state in the nation to extend Medicare drug prices to individuals not enrolled in Medicare. With bipartisan majorities in both chambers, the General Assembly has advanced the Affordable Medicine Act, setting the stage for the legislation to reach Governor Abig…
Cara Romaine makes a solar presentation to King George Board of Supervisors.
Cara Romaine makes a solar presentation to King George Board of Supervisors.
At a King George Board of Supervisors meeting this month, ESA’s project development manager, Cara Romaine, laid out details for the proposed Powhatan Road Community Solar project.
The project is proposed for 24 acres of a farm off Powhatan Road. The remaining 40 acres of farm field will remain farmland with property owners Larry Carr and his wife, along with their animals staying on the farm. Forested areas will be maintained to the north and south of the array.
“Just to give a little bit more perspective on size… it’s smaller than the about 30-acre horse track on the adjoining property,” Romaine said.
Romaine told the Board the project will help alleviate financial pressure and help maintain ownership of this generational family farm. According to ESA’s website, after decades of working a 158-acre farm, Carr is no longer able to manage the land at the same intensity. Rather than sell the property, 24 acres are being leased for solar, providing steady retirement income while allowing the family to continue living there.
In addition to benefiting the Carr family, the 4.99 MW shared solar project is supposed to save users money. Shared solar, also called community solar, is a program where users subscribe to off-site solar and are supposed to see monthly savings on their power bill.
According to ESA, Powhatan Road Solar could serve up to 1,000 households and save subscribers more than $5.4 million over 20 years, with 30% of the capacity reserved for low-to-moderate-income residents.
Based on the plan, the solar panels will be set back 100 feet from all property lines and from Powhatan Road. A 30-foot-wide landscape buffer will be installed, using trees that are 6 feet tall at planting and expected to reach 13 to 15 feet within five years. Instead of industrial chain-link fencing, the site will use 8-foot-tall woven-wire fencing, which Romaine noted “fits more in with the rural landscape.”
The panels will reach a maximum height of 11 feet at their greatest tilt, meaning the projected 15-foot tree line should effectively conceal the project from public view, she added.
The project plans to use single-axis trackers, which rotate to follow the sun. Addressing questions about panel materials, Romaine compared the technology to everyday consumer electronics. “We will be using crystalline solar panels… very similar to what’s in our cell phones. You have the glass, the silicon cells, and the aluminum frame.”
The site will also feature string inverters, which are reportedly smaller and quieter than central inverters, helping ensure compliance with local noise ordinances.
Construction is projected to last six to nine months, with the most intrusive phase—pile driving—lasting only three to four weeks, according to Romaine. The company expects project-related traffic to enter from Port Conway Road.
Romaine also confirmed a decommissioning bond will be posted with the county, ensuring that at the end of the project’s life, the land can be returned to its original state at no cost to the public.
ESA is seeking a special exception. If approved, the company plans to secure financing in mid-2026 and complete construction by late 2027.
“A project like this actually keeps the county rural. It gives you the ability to keep your land,” said Vice Chair William Davis. He said based on his research, the 24 acres could generate $40,000 to $60,000 to pay property taxes and other expenses.
“It enables you to keep your property and pass your property on to the next generation… To me, it’s just a no-brainer.”
The board did not take any action at that meeting.
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