Officials in Cumberland County, Virginia, have voted to approve a key local permit for Dominion Energy’s proposed 3,000 MW natural gas-fired power plant, the Cumberland Energy Center. The project would add large-scale electricity generation capacity to the utility’s system, although it still requires state-level environmental and regulatory approvals before construction can proceed.
On 20th October 2026, the county’s board of supervisors voted 3-1 in favour of the project following several hours of public comment. The approval follows an August recommendation from the local planning commission to grant the conditional use permit required for the development.
Dominion Energy plans to build the facility in Cumberland County, approximately an hour west of Richmond, Virginia. The company has identified a site of around 150 acres off Duncan Store Road and is targeting 2029 for the start of construction.
Combined-Cycle Technology Planned for 3 GW Facility
The proposed Cumberland Energy Center would use two combined-cycle gas-fired units, each configured in a two-on-one arrangement. Together, the units are expected to provide approximately 3 GW of baseload generating capacity.
Combined-cycle power plants use gas turbines to generate electricity and capture heat from their exhaust to produce additional power through a steam turbine. This configuration can improve fuel efficiency compared with generating electricity using a gas turbine alone.
Dominion Energy has positioned the project as part of its efforts to maintain reliable electricity supplies as demand increases across its service territory.
“We look forward to continuing to engage with the community as we move forward with this very vital project, not only to our customers in providing reliable power but also to the Cumberland community,” said Jeremy Slayton, a Dominion Energy spokesperson, in a statement.
The local permit approval represents one stage in the development process. The project still needs an air permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and approval from the Virginia State Corporation Commission before it can advance.
Dominion Energy Plans Additional Generation Capacity
The Cumberland Energy Center forms part of Dominion Energy’s broader planning for future electricity demand. Earlier in 2026, the utility projected that it might need to develop as many as six natural gas-fired power plants over the next two decades, alongside additional renewable energy projects.
Dominion has also advanced solar and battery storage developments in Virginia. State officials approved five proposed solar and battery storage projects earlier in 2026, as well as ten power purchase agreements representing up to 1 GW of generating capacity.
These developments reflect the utility’s plans to expand its generation resources to meet anticipated demand. The proposed gas-fired facility would provide dispatchable generation, while renewable energy and battery storage projects would contribute additional capacity and flexibility to the electricity system.
Project Cost Expected to Reach Billions of Dollars
Dominion Energy has not announced an official cost estimate for the Cumberland Energy Center, but the utility has described it as a “multi-billion-dollar project.” The company has indicated that the project will cost more than its Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center, a separate 944 MW gas-fired power plant approved by regulators in 2025.
The Chesterfield facility has an estimated price tag of US$1.47 billion and is being built at the former Chesterfield Power Station, where the last operating coal-fired units retired in 2023. The new plant is located near existing gas-fired Units 7 and 8, which have a combined generating capacity of 446 MW.
The Cumberland project would represent a substantially larger proposed gas-fired development, although its final investment cost and construction schedule remain subject to further approvals and project decisions.
Further Energy Projects Planned in Virginia
Virginia is also attracting investment in other forms of electricity generation. In December 2024, Commonwealth Fusion Systems announced plans to develop a proposed 400 MW fusion power facility at James River Industrial Park.
The proposed fusion project is separate from Dominion Energy’s Cumberland Energy Center, but it highlights the range of generation technologies being considered for the state’s future electricity supply.
For the Cumberland Energy Center, the immediate milestones are securing the outstanding state permits and regulatory approval. Dominion Energy is targeting construction to begin in 2029, but the project’s development timeline will depend on the completion of those remaining steps.