Virginia
Dominion to purchase second offshore wind lease area off coast of North Carolina • Virginia Mercury
Dominion Energy announced Monday afternoon the acquisition of a second offshore wind project area that could put the utility closer to achieving renewable energy goals outlined in state law.
In a news release, the utility stated it will purchase from Avangrid a 40,000-acre lease area that could produce 800 megawatts of electricity off the coast of North Carolina for a price of about $160 million, including $117 million in acquisition and $43 million in development reimbursement costs.
Construction hasn’t started yet on an offshore wind farm in the area, as Avangrid’s proposals for the space and an adjacent one were pending federal regulators’ approvals, which Dominion will still continue to seek.
In a statement on the deal, Dominion’s Chair, President and CEO Bob Blue called out the increased projections in energy needs the utility is facing and touted the company’s experience learned through building its first offshore wind project, the 2.6 gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project.
“With electric demand in our Virginia territory projected to double in the next 13 years, Dominion Energy is securing access to power generation resources that ensure we continue to provide the reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy that powers our customers every day,” Blue said.
Dominion Energy must follow the Virginia Clean Economy Act, state law passed in 2020 that seeks to decarbonize the electric grid by mid century. As part of that law, Virginia’s largest utility must produce 5.2 gigawatts of offshore-wind generated electricity.
Construction of the $9.8 billion CVOW project — which is expected to generate enough power to serve 666,000 homes and avoid creating emissions equal to the amount generated by one million cars on the roadway — began in May. Now rising about 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, it is expected to be finished in 2026.
The Avangrid lease area Dominion is acquiring, located about 36 miles from the shore of Virginia Beach and 27 miles off the coast of North Carolina, is called Kitty Hawk North Wind but will be renamed CVOW-South.
Dominion’s acquisition leaves Avangrid with what will be called Kitty Hawk South, about 80,000 acres that could be used to deliver up to 2.4 gigawatts of power to North Carolina, Virginia, other states or private companies.
Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra said in a statement the deal provides, “significant capital infusion for reinvestment”
“Executing this agreement allows us to move forward with our long-term plans for the development of Kitty Hawk South, further demonstrating our commitment to accelerating the clean energy transition in the United States.”
The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year after securing approval from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the City of Virginia Beach. Detailed in-service dates or cost estimates for the wind farm, which won’t be recovered from ratepayers until Dominion files with its regulators, the State Corporation Commission, were not immediately available.
The project needs Virginia Beach’s approval, after the city in November told Avangrid the company’s plans to bring transmission cables from their offshore wind project onshore in a wealthy Sandbridge area of the city didn’t sit well with the community, following public pushback. Dominion, in its release, stated that it is aware of the concerns, and “is committed to working closely with the community, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the City of Virginia Beach as it considers this project.”
Monday’s deal announcement comes after the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management announced an upcoming auction for new lease areas in August that could create up to 6.3 gigawatts of electricity. One of the sites, a 176,500 acre area, is directly west of Dominion’s CVOW project, while the other, a 101,443 acre area, is off the shore of Delaware and Maryland.
“We plan to participate in the lease auction to give us another potential option for regulated offshore wind generation development to meet the needs of our customers,” said Dominion Spokesperson Jeremy Slayton.
Virginia
Virginia hires Richmond’s Aaron Roussell after Amaka Agugua-Hamilton’s firing, investigation
Virginia has its new women’s basketball coach, after a messy ending with its previous one.
The Cavaliers announced Tuesday they had hired Richmond head coach Aaron Roussell to replace the fired Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, who was reportedly the subject of an internal investigation over allegations of staff mistreatment. Roussell will be the seventh head coach in program history.
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Roussell had been the Spiders’ head coach for seven years, accruing a 148-72 record and leading them to three straight NCAA tournament appearances since 2024. They notched the first tourney win in their history against Georgia Tech in 2025.
Aaron Roussell has some work to do in Charlottesville.
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS)
Roussell will not have to travel far for his new job, but he will enter a program facing surprising levels of instability after a Cinderella run in this year’s March Madness.
After entering their first NCAA tournament in eight years, the Cavaliers reeled off wins over Arizona State in the First Four, No. 7 Georgia and No. 2 Iowa to reach their first Sweet 16 since 2000. Then, days after the season ended, the program announced Agugua-Hamilton’s firing in a cryptic “Virginia Announces Leadership Change for Women’s Basketball” statement.
Per On3’s transfer portal tracker, six Virginia players have entered the portal, including last season’s leading scorer Kymora Johnson.
Virginia
Former Virginia Gov Glenn Youngkin hints at political future, says he’s ‘chomping at the bit’ after exit
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Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signaled his political career may not be over, telling Sean Hannity he still has “more to give” just under three months after leaving office.
“I have more to give. I just do. The one year of campaigning and the four years of running, so five years, went by in five seconds. It was amazing,” Youngkin said on the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast.
In the full episode, debuting Tuesday, Youngkin sat down with the Fox News host to discuss his time in office, as well as what things have been like since his term expired in January.
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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin addresses the crowd during an early voting rally on Sept. 21, 2023, in Petersburg, Va. (Steve Helber/AP)
“Every morning [when I was governor], I woke up literally bounding out of bed, ready to roll, and that was the most purposeful I’ve ever felt in my whole life.“
Youngkin oversaw a range of conservative measures passed in the state, including a push to ensure age-appropriate curriculum in public schools.
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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger responds to President Donald Trump’s unseen State of the Union address. (Steve Helber/Reuters)
He also pushed for tax cuts, including efforts to reduce the state’s grocery tax, rolled back COVID-19 restrictions early in his tenure and emphasized tougher public safety policies.
His time in office concluded earlier this year, when Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration succeeded his.
“I’ve been out of office for six weeks. I took [my wife] Suzanne on vacation, which she so deserved. She’s been amazing. I think she’s of the best first ladies in America,” he said.
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“But six weeks has felt like six years… You’re chomping at the bit.”
While Youngkin stopped short of outlining specific plans for the future, his comments suggest he is keeping the door open to a return to public office.
Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Denver police have arrested the man they believe was responsible for a fatal shooting on E. Virginia Avenue on Thursday afternoon.
According to an arrest affidavit, the Denver Dispatch Center received a 911 call around 12:35 p.m. to report a shooting in the 10100 block of E. Virginia Ave. The caller told dispatch workers that a white SUV was fleeing the scene.
Responding officers found a man who was critically wounded. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
Investigators reportedly discovered a handgun, the victim’s cellphone and money in the area where the shooting happened. They also located surveillance footage in the area, which appeared to show the victim exiting a white Chevrolet Tahoe as gunshots could be heard. He walked to the east, looking for help, before collapsing on the ground.
The affidavit says a conversation was discovered on the victim’s Instagram account in which he was speaking with another person who was selling a firearm.
Aurora police assisted investigators using the Flock License Plate Reader system, identifying the Tahoe at several locations. Police said the vehicle had unique characteristics on the passenger rear wheel. The affidavit says that, before the shooting, the vehicle had a rear license plate, but after the shooting, it was missing.
Investigators found the vehicle, executed a search warrant and found a fired cartridge case in the back seat. A person connected to the case reportedly told officers that he drove his friend, later identified as Daniel Puga Villegas, to meet a person to collect money from him. However, he says an argument took place, and Villegas shot the victim, then ripped off his temporary rear license plate and, while still holding the gun, told him to drive.
Villegas was arrested on Sunday with assistance from the APD and is facing charges of first-degree murder.
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