The Virginia State Corporation Commission on Nov. 2 issued an order finding that Dominion Energy Inc.’s proposal to build a 12-megawatt offshore wind project off the coast of Virginia Beach is prudent. The project, expected to come online in December 2020, has an estimated cost of about $300 million, excluding financing costs. The commission noted that the project “would not be deemed prudent” given that economic benefits are speculative and risks will be borne by customers, but the finding is based on recent amendments to state laws which require that such projects be found to be in the public interest. The project is not a result of competitive solicitation to buy power from third party developers, which would have resulted in developers bearing some or all of the project risks, the commission said. The agency also approved the company’s prudency petition for a solar project that involves a 20-year agreement to buy power from an 80-megawatt solar facility finding that the proposal would protect customers from financial and other risks, unlike the offshore wind project.