Tim Kaine Kicks Off Energy Tour at Solar, Coal and Natural Gas Facilities

Press Release

Today, former governor and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine visited Abakus Solar USA, a solar facility in Richmond, and the Dominion Chesterfield Power Station, a coal and natural gas power station in Chester. Kaine's stops marked the beginning of a tour to discuss the release of his all of the above energy strategy, "Strengthening Our Economy Through Energy Innovation."

"As governor, I implemented Virginia's first all of the above energy policy, which included renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and biofuels, and sought to fully utilize our domestic resources through exploratory drilling for natural gas, nuclear, and cleaner coal technology," said Kaine. "And if we're going to compete in the clean energy market, we need to continue to stay on the cutting edge of new technologies that will help us access sustainable and affordable energy, increase our independence and security, and grow our economy."

At each stop, Kaine discussed the need to expand the use of all sustainable forms of domestic energy to create jobs in Virginia and increase American security and sustainability. During a discussion with employees following his tour of Abakus Solar, Kaine stressed the dual benefits of solar energy growth - a reduction in pollution and the creation of new American businesses and construction jobs.

At the Dominion Chesterfield Power Station, Kaine spoke about his long-standing commitment to a true all of the above energy approach, which utilizes coal in cleaner ways and develops America's natural gas resources in a safe, responsible manner. The 1,600 megawatt power station near Chester generates power from four coal burning units and two units burning a combination of natural gas and distillate oil. State-of-the-art scrubbers recently installed on the coal burning units remove more than 95 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions and reduce hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and mercury emissions by 80 percent. As governor, Kaine implemented Virginia's first comprehensive energy policy and supported the permitting of the new state-of-the-art cleaner coal facility in Wise County.

"Virginia's wealth of natural resources like coal and natural gas will play an important role in our energy future, but as we take advantage of these domestic energy sources, we should also make a commitment to use cleaner energy tomorrow than we are using today," said Kaine. "We've seen with Dominion's innovative scrubbers and the state-of-the-art cleaner coal facility in Wise County, that when we make significant investments in energy innovation we can create jobs while producing energy more cleanly and efficiently."

Throughout the day, Kaine also highlighted his proposals to invest in advanced energy infrastructure, increase conservation, and develop new technologies in alternative fuel areas. Over the coming days, Kaine will hold additional events across the state to discuss his energy approach with stakeholders, manufacturers, employees of energy facilities, and other parties. For more than a year, Kaine has toured the Commonwealth to hear from workers across different industries and share his strategies to create jobs and strengthen the economy.

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