Tenaska's Expansion, Valley Link, &
The Bigger Picture
Protect Fluvanna.
Predicted demand can change.
Permanent impacts cannot.​
The Board of Supervisors approved Tenaska’s second gas plant despite the Planning Commission’s finding that it is not in substantial accord with the Comprehensive Plan.
​
At the same time, major transmission proposals such as Valley Link are advancing as part of a broader expansion of energy infrastructure across Central Virginia.
​
These projects are connected. Together, they form a system being built to serve projected future demand, much of it tied to expected data center growth that may not materialize as planned.
​
Generation, transmission, and land development are converging in the same corridor and should be evaluated as one system, with full consideration of cumulative impacts, long-term land use, and environmental justice.
​
Rural communities should not bear a disproportionate share of permanent impacts from growth driven elsewhere.
​
Before moving forward, the Commonwealth must ensure that these impacts are fully evaluated, limited, and fairly distributed.
​
Take action: Add your name to the coalition letter calling for coordinated planning, transparency, and a pause until cumulative impacts and actual demand are fully evaluated.
%20(1).png)
Fluvanna Horizons Alliance
Protecting Our Community and Our Future
​​​​
Fluvanna Horizons Alliance is a group of local residents working to protect our health, our environment, and our community.
​
We believe decisions that shape our future should be informed, transparent, and guided by the voices of the people who live here. We work to protect our air, water, and land, and to ensure that our community is not asked to bear a disproportionate share of impacts without being heard.​​​​​
​
Fluvanna's Land Use Values
Rural Protections vs Industrial Expansion
Health Impacts of a Second Gas Power Plant
.png)
What the Health Analysis Shows
An independent public health analysis finds that the proposed second gas-fired power plant would significantly increase harmful air pollution across Fluvanna County and central Virginia. The analysis focuses on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a pollutant with no safe level of exposure, and links the project to widespread and measurable health harms.
Documented Health Risks
According to the health analysis, increased PM2.5 pollution is associated with:
​
•Higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses
•Increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and premature death
•Disproportionate impacts on children, older adults, and people with existing health conditions.​
Health Impacts
The study estimates $27 million to $50 million in health damages every year, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars over time and potentially exceeding $1 billion. These are real costs tied to increased air pollution and its effects on human health.
​
Who Would Be Most Affected
The greatest impacts are concentrated in Lake Monticello and Palmyra, with effects extending across Columbia, Rivanna, Scottsville, and Keswick. Pollution does not stop at county lines. It is projected to affect communities across Fluvanna, Louisa, Goochland, Cumberland, Powhatan, and Buckingham, with additional impacts reaching Albemarle, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Richmond. This is a regional impact with widespread public health consequences.
Only Part of the Picture
These figures capture health impacts only. They do not account for increased water use and discharge, methane emissions, heavy truck traffic and road damage, or noise and light pollution. The true cost to the community is higher.
Why This Matters
This is a long-term decision with lasting consequences. Fluvanna’s Comprehensive Plan was created to prevent incompatible industrial development in rural areas. The Planning Commission has already found this proposal not in substantial accord with that plan. Moving forward means accepting known health risks and setting aside the community’s stated vision.
Tenaska’s “Environmental Report” Falls Short
Meeting Air Standards Is Not the Same as Protecting Rural Fluvanna
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
Meeting federal air standards does not mean a project is safe, appropriate, or compatible with rural Fluvanna.
Residents are being told the proposed second gas-fired power plant poses no environmental concern because it complies with federal air rules. That claim confuses permit eligibility with real-world impact.
​
Federal air standards regulate regional pollution levels. They do not evaluate whether doubling heavy industrial infrastructure is appropriate, compatible, or acceptable in a rural community.
​
Compliance does not eliminate:
-
construction pollution and diesel emissions
-
water demand and wastewater
-
land disturbance, noise, and lighting
-
heavy truck traffic on rural roads
-
cumulative impacts of two power plants operating side by side
Regulatory compliance alone does not protect Fluvanna’s health, land, or rural character.
The Problem
Tenaska aims to double its footprint in Fluvanna County
Tenaska, a Nebraska-based energy company and one of the largest privately held companies in the United States, is seeking to expand its operations in Fluvanna County by constructing a second gas-fired power plant near its existing facility. If approved, the combined output of these plants would make the site among the largest gas-fired power generation complexes in Virginia, with significant implications for the county and surrounding region.
​
While Tenaska highlights potential tax revenue and economic benefits, those claims must be weighed against documented environmental and public health costs. The Southern Environmental Law Center estimates the proposed plant’s annual health-related costs at approximately $13.6 million, rising to $21.1 million by 2040, totaling about $275 million over time.
​
Gas-fired power plants are associated with air pollution, including nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular impacts, meaning nearby communities may bear meaningful health and environmental risks alongside any economic benefits.
Health and Environmental Impacts
.jpeg)
-
Gas-fired power plants emit greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), as well as nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), and various hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), even with controls in place.
-
There is no safe level for fine particulate matter, and Tenaska's plant would release these pollutants, leading to higher illness and death rates among nearby residents.​​
-
The existing plant uses 3 to 4 million gallons of water daily from the James River. It discharges 1.5 million gallons of "hard water" daily into Cunningham Creek, which flows into the Rivanna River.
-
The new plant would draw an additional 6 to 7 million gallons from the James River daily, with an anticipated daily discharge of 1.5 million gallons per day.
-
Water for the plant would be pulled from the James River and, after being used, released into the Rivanna. Mixing waters from different rivers can pose significant dangers to ecosystems and human health.​
​
-
Methane leaks are unavoidable in gas plants, and methane is over 25 times more potent than COâ‚‚.
Whose Power?
.png)
Tenaska points to growing electricity demand to justify the project, but most new demand in Virginia and across the PJM region is being driven by data centers rather than increases in residential consumption. The company would sell power into the regional PJM wholesale market, not directly to Dominion customers, meaning there is no direct mechanism for this plant to lower electric bills for Fluvanna residents. At the same time, Virginia utilities pass fuel costs on to customers, exposing households to the volatility of natural gas prices, and can also pass along certain infrastructure and construction costs through rates, contributing to rising bills driven by a mix of fuel costs, grid expansion, and increasing demand. In effect, the environmental and community impacts would be borne locally in Fluvanna County, while the electricity and financial benefits are distributed across a broader regional market.
%20(1).png)