Data Center and Transmission Line Updates

The following text was sent out via email on June 9, 2022. Sign up for PEC email alerts →


a transmission line looms over traffic
Transmission lines along Rt. 7 in Loudoun County, VA. Photo by Hugh Kenny/PEC

Dear Supporter,

In late April, we wrote to you about a potential Amazon data center in Warrenton, and Dominion’s plans for a 230-kV transmission line and substation to accommodate the development. Today, I’d like to share a few updates:

  1. Amazon officially filed an application for the data center with the Town of Warrenton in April. A copy of the special use permit application is available here. We encourage you to review it for yourself. Our own evaluation has found the information provided wholly inadequate.

Among the many missing pieces, it does not consider the substation or the transmission line impacts that are directly tied to the application, nor does it consider details about the use of public water for the facility. It also lacks an evaluation of the visual impacts of the substation on Blackwell Road or the data center on Rt. 17 or Rt. 29. No public hearings have been scheduled yet, but we anticipate the Town might try to move swiftly, with the transmission line routing submission to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) anticipated in fall 2022.

  1. Dominion has released new maps with the various route options (some overhead, some underground) showing both environmental constraints and cultural resources. Note that Dominion removed one of the previously proposed overhead routes due to the planned Van Metre Homes development of Arrington, leaving 11 possible transmission routes for consideration as indicated in the maps.
  2. Dominion has scheduled public meetings for Wednesday, June 22 and Thursday, June 23, both from 4 to 7 p.m., to gather local feedback.

Community Open House #1
Wednesday, June 22
4-7 p.m.
Kettle Run High School
7403 Academic Ave.
Nokesville, VA 20181

Community Open House #2
Thursday, June 23
4-7 p.m.
Fauquier County Fairgrounds
6209 Old Auburn Road
Warrenton, VA 20187

(Dominion is sharing information at DominionEnergy.com/blackwellroad.)

We continue to believe that the special use permit, allowing the development of the data center, should not be granted by the Town unless it can assure any associated transmission lines would be underground. In addition, we think Amazon should bear the extra cost of that installation, rather than the ratepayers of Virginia.

Please let me know if you have any questions I can help with and I hope to see you at one of the upcoming public meetings!

Sincerely,

Kevin Kask
Fauquier Field Representative
kkask@pecva.org
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7046