SOMERS, Conn., Nov. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Representative Joseph Courtney and other federal, state and local dignitaries joined Dominion (NYSE: D) today to dedicate the Somers Solar Center – capable of producing enough electricity to power about 5,000 homes – and mark a major milestone in the development of renewable energy in The Constitution State.

"Connecticut's federal and state officials should be commended for finding innovative ways to bring clean, renewable energy to consumers in Connecticut," said Dominion Generation Senior Vice President J. David Rives. "We are proud to be among those who are pioneers in that effort."

The Somers Solar Center, built by Prime Solutions Inc., a Connecticut contractor, occupies 50 acres near this community in north-central Connecticut. It consists of 23,150 Kyocera solar panels that will generate roughly 5 megawatts of alternating current. The center is one of three solar projects that will be placed in service by Dominion in 2013. The others are near Augusta, Georgia and Indianapolis, Indiana.

The origins of the center, which was acquired from Kyocera in October, are traced to an energy law enacted by the Connecticut legislature in 2011. Based on that law, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued a request for proposals in December 2011 for the development of 10 megawatts of renewable energy to be sold under contract to the state's two major utilities. The Somers' proposal was one of two that were successful from among 21 entrants.

"Smart investments in renewable energy production move us toward a secure, clean, and independent energy future," Rep. Courtney said. "Thanks to federal programs like the Investment Tax Credit, Production Tax Credit, and the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), projects like this one are strengthening local economies and helping defend against climate change. I applaud Dominion and our federal and state officials for their commitment to this project, and I will continue to support federal programs that help bring renewable energy—and the jobs it creates—to eastern Connecticut."

Dominion's presence in Connecticut pre-dates the Somers project.  The company owns and operates the 2,100 megawatt Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Waterford and less than a year ago announced North America's largest fuel cell project in Bridgeport, which will generate roughly 15 megawatts of clean electricity.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 23,500 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

SOURCE Dominion