By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square
A proposed high-voltage transmission project in central Virginia is moving forward as local governments raise concerns about land use, costs and potential impacts on ratepayers.
The Valley Link transmission line, a roughly 115-mile project spanning nine counties from Campbell County to Culpeper County, is being developed by a joint venture involving Dominion Energy, American Electric Power and FirstEnergy. The project is estimated to cost about $1 billion, according to company representatives.
Developers say the line is needed as electricity demand grows across Virginia, driven in part by data center expansion and increased energy use.
In a call with The Center Square, Dominion Energy representatives said the region is seeing “the largest increase in demand since World War II.”
Dominion officials said average daily demand in its service area is about 20 gigawatts and is expected to double within the next 15 years. During a recent winter cold snap, demand increased from about 20 to 25 gigawatts overnight, a 25% jump.
At the same time, local governments along the proposed route are pushing back, raising concerns that regional benefits may come with local impacts.
Louisa County officials have passed a resolution opposing the project and filed concerns with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. County leaders have also contacted neighboring jurisdictions, including Orange, Goochland, Fluvanna, Buckingham, Appomattox, Spotsylvania and Culpeper, in an effort to coordinate a regional response.
Local officials say the project could affect agricultural and forest land, reduce property values and offer limited direct benefit to rural communities along the route.
In a joint discussion among counties, officials said the transmission line is expected to support electricity demand in Northern Virginia “with little to no benefit” for the areas it would cross.
A Louisa County official said the project would carry electricity through the county without serving local demand.
“This is a transmission line,” the official said. “They’re not dumping any electricity here. It’s passing through.”
Louisa County officials have also raised concerns about a federal proposal tied to PJM Interconnection that could speed up approvals for large energy and transmission projects. The timeline could shrink from several years to about 10 months.
County leaders said a shorter review process could limit how long-term impacts are evaluated, including how costs are shared among ratepayers.
The board also urged the State Corporation Commission to require utilities to evaluate alternative routes that reduce impacts on agricultural and forest land, including using existing infrastructure corridors or placing portions of the line underground.
In a resolution adopted March 16, the Louisa County Board of Supervisors said the proposed line could run about 20 miles through the county using steel structures up to 160 feet tall, roughly the height of a 14-story building, and pass within 500 feet of some homes.
Project developers say they are continuing to refine the route and meet with communities.
According to company representatives, the project has been reduced from an earlier proposal of about 155 miles across 16 counties to the current 115-mile plan across nine counties. Developers said they have contacted about 120,000 residents and held public meetings attended by more than 5,000 people.
They estimate between 600 and 700 property owners would be directly affected by the final route.
The transmission line would require a right-of-way about 200 feet wide. Landowners would retain ownership and could continue using the land for farming, grazing and other purposes, but permanent structures such as homes or buildings would not be allowed within that space.
Developers said they aim to route the line through commercial or industrial areas where possible while avoiding dense residential communities, schools and historically or environmentally sensitive sites.
Most land easements are expected to be negotiated directly with property owners, according to company representatives. If agreements cannot be reached, court proceedings may be used to determine compensation.
The State Corporation Commission will decide whether to approve the project and how much of the cost can be recovered from Virginia ratepayers. Project costs are expected to be shared across utilities based on usage.
A second round of public meetings is planned for late May and early June. Developers expect to submit a final route to the State Corporation Commission in September, with regulators expected to take about a year to review the proposal.
The State Corporation Commission did not respond to a request for comment.
