Dominion seeks additional right-of-way, but what alternatives have been considered and how will they mitigate impacts?
This text was taken from an email alert sent out on April 29, 2025. Sign up to get email alerts →
Dear Supporter,
First, I want to thank everyone who wrote the Virginia State Corporation Commission about Dominion Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan. As proposed, the plan would increase energy costs, put grid reliability at risk and worsen the environmental impacts caused by the data center industry. Dominion received over 300 comment letters expressing concern, many of them from PEC supporters like you!
As part of a broader push to serve the explosive growth of data centers in northern Virginia, Dominion is also moving forward with the expansion of specific transmission line projects.
As these new lines are being planned and engineered, it is important that people across Virginia weigh in on each one of these projects and push Dominion to consider feasible alternatives to reduce impacts on natural and community resources and, where impacts are unavoidable, mitigate those impacts adequately.
Morrisville-Wishing Star 500kV and 230kV Transmission Line Expansion
Next month, Dominion will hold community meetings on one of its projects — the Morrisville-Wishing Star 500kV and 230kV electric transmission lines through Fauquier, Prince William and Loudoun counties. This is a section of a larger regional expansion that goes out to West Virginia and up into Maryland, approved in 2023 by the regional transmission organization, PJM.
Although details are sparse at this point, what we do know is that this expansion will necessitate widening 36.5 miles of existing right-of-way for the new 500kV and 230kV transmission lines in Fauquier and expansion of the Morrisville Substation.
Dominion is moving this project on a fast timeline and has not discussed alternatives or mitigation with the public at all. Because portions of this route will almost certainly impact conservation easements, wetlands, forests, community open space, parks, trails, schools, etc., we believe a discussion of alternatives and both local- and regional-level mitigation is imperative.
In particular, one major impact, omitted entirely from Dominion’s informational materials, is a plan to widen existing transmission line corridors through Manassas National Battlefield Park by more than 100 feet.
We believe the National Park Service must require a full Environmental Impact Statement to properly assess how to minimize the proposed transmission line expansion’s negative impacts on the park. However, we are concerned the Trump Administration may try to sidestep this process, especially given the Department of Interior’s recent announcement to cut back on long-established environmental permitting processes for certain energy projects (though, for now, transmission lines are excluded).
Weigh In: Ask Dominion to Consider Alternatives and Mitigation
Dominion is holding three in-person community open houses in Fauquier, Prince William, and Loudoun counties, and we urge you to attend and ask what alternatives have been considered and how the negative impacts will be mitigated. For those unable to make it in person, Dominion is also holding two virtual open houses May 5 and June 2 and has created a webpage where people can submit written comments [more info below].
> In-person Meetings:
- Fauquier CountyTuesday May 13
6–8 PM
Mary Walter Elementary School - Prince William CountyThursday May 15
5:30–7:30 p.m.
Patriot High School - Loudoun CountyWednesday May 21
5:30-7:30 p.m.
The Lodge at Hanson Park
> Virtual Meetings:
Find more information about joining the virtual meetings on Dominion’s upcoming meetings webpage for this project.
- Monday, May 5
12–1 p.m. - Monday, June 2
12–1 p.m.
> Submit Written Comments:
Dominion has created a link where you can use its GeoVoice tool to a closer look at the Morrisville to Wishingstar line route and simulations of the visual impacts, and submit written comments.
When you visit the webpage, a pop up window will explain how to use the GeoVoice tool. You can continue as a guest if you just want to click around, but if you want to submit comments about specific locations on the map, you will need to create an account and sign in.
If you would like to submit general comments without using the mapping tool, you can also contact Dominion by email at [email protected] or by phone at 888-291-0190.
Open Dominion’s interactive tool and submit comments →
More Transmission Line Projects Coming
The Morrisville-Wishing Star project is only one of the many new transmission lines being pushed through our region to serve data center load growth.
Not only is Dominion Energy working on dozens of 230kV transmission lines that need to be routed to substations to serve data center customers in Loudoun, Prince William, and Culpeper counties, the company is also moving forward with two massive new 765kV transmission lines — the first of this size in Dominion’s territory —that PJM approved in late 2024. The first will be routed up through northern Loudoun County and Sweet Run State Park into West Virginia. The second will go from southern Fauquier County, down into Culpeper, Orange, Louisa, Hanover, Fluvanna, Albemarle, Buckingham, Nelson, and Amherst counties, and terminate east of Lynchburg in Campbell County.
We expect additional interstate transmission projects to be submitted to PJM in the coming years and that Dominion will begin rolling out details of additional supplemental projects to directly serve data center customers in filings with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) as well. PEC’s interactive map includes proposals that were not approved in the last round of PJM reviews but may come back in future rounds of submissions as the projected electricity demand to serve data centers increases. Visit Dominion’s website to find more about Dominion’s planned lines to serve data centers.
Because we know many more energy projects will be coming down the pike to serve data centers, setting the precedent for considering alternatives and mitigation now and into the future is critically important to all communities, including those not yet directly affected.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to protecting our communities and environment. Engaged citizens push our agencies and utilities toward better outcomes and a better future for everyone.
Sincerely,
Julie Bolthouse
Director of Land Use
[email protected]
(540) 347-2334 x7042
PS: Did you see that Lobby Day in Richmond hosted by the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition was recently featured by Bloomberg News? Check out the video titled: AI Power Demand May Soon Strain Global Supply!