Public Utility Company Solar Farm

A Public Utility Company in Virginia acquired an 80-megawatt solar generation project developed and owned by Community Energy on the Eastern Shore in Virginia. Formally known as Amazon Solar Farm US East, this project will be the first of its kind in Virginia and will be the largest solar facility in the Mid-Atlantic. Located on the Delmarva Peninsula in Accomack County, the nearly 1,000 acre solar farm will use 250,000 solar panels and generate enough electricity to power about 15,000 homes in a year. This solar project was the first approved under Virginia’s permit by rule process for renewable energy projects under 100 megawatts. Once completed, the energy generated will be put onto the electrical grids that supply current and future Amazon Web Services data centers in the central and eastern US.

Working as a subcontractor for J.E. Liesfield Contractor, Inc, Draper Aden Associates is provided construction phase surveying, GPS machine control, site planning and engineering, and Construction Materials Testing (CMT) services as a part of the solar generation project team. The construction stakeout scope of services (in Areas A and B) included rough grading; approximately 220,000 LF of interior and exterior fence (including silt); approximately 45,000 LF of storm sewer and drain inlets; approximately 106,000 LF of road with associated curb; and building pads. The site planning portion of this work involved a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Reporting and inspections. In addition, the CMT services included density testing of structural fill and proofrolling of subgrades.