DANVILLE, Va. – The Special Projects Committee of the Virginia Tobacco Commission has renewed two grant programs targeting the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill.

In 2011, the Commission approved a $2.7 million grant to be used for land and engineering improvements at the site. In 2015, the Commission approved another $2.2 million for water system improvements.

The panel voted unanimously to renew both grants.

The Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill includes 3,528 acres and 12 lots ready for industry. It is the largest such industrial park in Virginia and is one of the largest on the Eastern Seaboard. The site is owned by the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority.

In November, Dominion Energy announced plans to build a power plant with two natural gas-fired combustion turbines. This 200-million dollar project will have a $12.3 million impact on the region, creating up to 200 construction jobs. The 500-megawatt plant will power more than 125-thousand homes.

Earlier in 2019, local leaders approved a plan from Appalachian Power to begin work on a large transmission line to serve the Megasite. Plans call for a five mile, 138 kilovolt transmission line and a new substation to serve the MegaPark.